Review
Summer 2009
MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Millersville University Alumni Association Rich Frerichs ’64 Past president
Letters to the Editor Clock collector
Retired Marauder coaches I have enclosed a photo taken this spring in Lakeland, Florida, of three former Millersville head coaches. Seen at Tigers-Yankees exhibition game are (L to R) Gene Wise (baseball), Dr. Walt Kreider ’52 (baseball) and Dick DeHart (basketball). Photo taken by Art Drescher ‘64. Enjoyed reading the Review. It brought back memories of my experience in China
just following the Cultural Revolution. What changes have taken place since then both in China and the world. – Dr. Walter Kreider, Jr. ‘52 Educational Foundations 1960-92
Back cover photo We were honored that you found Janet’s photograph of Biemesderfer Center worthy of inclusion on the back cover of the spring 2009 edition. We were, understandably, disappointed that you got Janet’s name incor-
I’m afraid I was that roommate [George Schwab ‘46] mentioned. George had the clocks in the bedroom...striking was adjusted so as soon as one clock stopped, the next would strike. This went on until all of the clocks were finished striking. When you are young I guess you can live through almost anything. George called me the day before I received my Review. There are three of us that still keep in touch. Then he arranged a three-party call...George, John Lantz ‘46 in Charleston, and myself. By the way, George told me how to repair our Grand Mother clock on the phone. He also plays piano (by ear) and at one reunion brought an accordion and played for us. He is most accomplished in many areas. – John Walker ‘46
rect. Although a Janet Martin is listed in the 1968 Touchstone, Janet Artymovicz (also of the Class of 1968) is Jim’s wife, Jason’s mother and the photographer. – James D. Lawrence ‘67 and Janet C. (Artymovicz) Lawrence ‘68
Millersville, Pa., is looking for history In 1761, an area in Lancaster was founded by John Miller, and became known as Millersville in his honor. The Millersville community will celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2011. Volunteers are already at work on planning events and activities to recognize this occasion, including a commemorative book. “The committee needs stories that are descriptive and detailed that showcase events, activities, businesses
and organizations at work and play throughout the community,” said committee member Carl Kanaskie. If you would like to participate, please contact J. Philip Gerber, MAHS president, at (717) 872-8837. The anniversary website is http://millersville250.org
The logo for the 250th anniversary was designed by Zach Reese, a Millersville University student.
Contents table of
Feature Story 12
Millersville University Alumni Association From scholarships to reunions to discounts, the alumni association is devoted to its more than 54,000 alumni. On the cover: Dr. Richard Frerichs ’64 has been an active leader and volunteer for his alma mater since he was a student. He just completed a two-year term as president of the Millersville University Alumni Association.
Highlights
On commencement morning, alumni volunteers Don ‘70 and Geraldine ‘69 Watterson (far left) were selling roses to parents and friends to give to the new graduates.
Sections 2
Campus Life
in my kitchen
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Faculty Spotlight
Lawyer Donna Marie Desfor traded the courtroom for a career in the kitchen.
24
Alumni Interest
26
Sports
30
Class Notes
18 There’s a chef
22 Dream job Larry Shenk ‘61 has been living his dream in the Phillies front office for more than four decades.
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SUMMER 2009
Mathematics chair named dean of School of Science and Mathematics Following a national search, Dr. Robert T. Smith has been named new dean of the School of Science and Mathematics effective July 1. He succeeds Dr. Edward C. Shane, who retired after 10 years of service at Millersville. Smith graduated from Widener College with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and German. He received his M.S. and earned his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Delaware. Smith joined Millersville University in 1987 as an associate professor of mathematics, was promoted to professor and elected chair of the Department of Mathematics. From 2003-04, he served as acting dean for the School of Science and Mathematics. “The school has outstanding programs and superb students, faculty and staff, and I look forward to working with each of the seven departments to move the school forward, enhancing the school’s reputation for the premier science and mathematics programs in the region,” said Smith.
Review MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Summer 2009
Vol. 122
No. 4
The Review is published quarterly by Millersville University of Pennsylvania of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and mailed free to Millersville alumni, faculty, staff and other friends of the University.
President Dr. Francine G. McNairy
Millersville Review Staff
Dean Robert T. Smith
Smith has co-authored eight textbooks on calculus, which are used and translated at colleges and universities around the world, and published numerous research articles on mathematical problems arising in engineering and physics. He also aided in providing almost $1 million in scholarship funding to financially disadvantaged students majoring in science or mathematics at Millersville University.
Millersville Will
Amy H. Dmitzak, Executive Editor Patricia Coulson, Editor Wendy Sheaffer, Art Director Janet Kacskos, Campus News Ethan Hulsey, Sports News Steven A. DiGuiseppe ‘82, Alumni News Dianne O’Connor, Alumni News Marah Harbeson, Alumni News Kelly Davis ‘95, Class Notes
Contributors Kate Goodberry ‘01 Laura Knowles Tracy Meadowcroft ‘03 Justin Quinn Frost Imaging Jim Yescalis
Alumni Association William Martin ’81, president Jerri Anne Johnson ’76, president-elect Stephen Focht ‘70, treasurer Lori Dierolf ‘91, secretary Scott Bailey ‘98, Tom Baker ‘02, William Benner ‘84, Nicole Bomberger ’01, Abraham Breslin ’98, Aaron Clevenstine ‘01, Gina Crawford ’96, Dr. Carl Ernst ’60, John Held ’02, Amy Hoffman ‘94, Eric P. Jackson ’83, Richard M. Moriarty ’72, Daniel Sidelnick ’75, Leigh Walter ‘88, Kirstin Albright Waters ’05, Dr. Richard Frerichs ’64, past-president.
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PASSHE Board of Governors Kenneth M. Jarin (chairman), C.R. “Chuck” Pennoni (vice chair), Aaron A. Walton, (vice chair), Matthew E. Baker, Marie A. Conley Lammando, Paul S. Dlugolecki, Daniel P. Elby, Michael K. Hanna, Vincent J. Hughes, Ryan R. Jerico (student), Kim E. Lyttle, Jeffrey E. Piccola, Guido M. Pichini, Edward G. Rendell, Christine J. Toretti, Dr. Gerald L. Zahorchak
Millersville University Council of Trustees
There was an impressive turn-out at the retirement party for Dr. Edward Shane. Shown here is a unique gathering of “deans”: (Left to right) Dean Robert Smith and retired deans of School of Science and Mathematics: Alex Henderson, Edward Shane, Richard Sasin and Al Hoffman.
Michael G. Warfel ‘84 (chairman), Paul G. Wedel (vice chairperson), Caroline M. Hoffer ‘77 (secretary), James P. Argires, Julianne Dickson, Abram Diffenbach ‘73, William B. McIlwaine, Brian A. Rider ‘87, Gerald S. Robinson, Matthew T. Smith (student), John C. Cavanaugh, ex officio. Millersville University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution.
SUMMER 2009
CAMPUS LIFE
Millersville choir hits a homer at Phillies game Excitement. Relief. Pride. These are just some of the emotions the 85 members of Millersville University’s choir and chorale experienced as they performed the National Anthem in front of more than 40,000 fans at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park. The occasion was the season home opener on April 8 for the Philadelphia Phillies and
Several choir practices were held outside so the singers could get a feel for the environment. They also had to take into account for a sound delay caused by the stadium microphones. To compensate for this, the group practiced by watching the conductor instead of listening to themselves, a helpful tip provided by choir president, AJ Walker.
The voices of Millersville students sang the National Anthem to a packed Citizens Bank Park stadium prior to the Phillies World Series ring ceremony and the home opener. Photo credit: David lu
also marked the ceremony where the Phillies received their 2008 World Series Champion rings. In November 2008, the choir sent an audition CD to the Phillies. Four months later, they were notified that they were one of 15 groups still under consideration from more than 100 applications received. Then an invitation to sing at the home opener came a week and a half before the game. With 10 days to prepare, the pressure was on. Since the members of the choir are math majors, music majors, and every major in between, the task of organizing 85 different schedules on short notice was a real challenge.
Millersville Will Tamara Willis, principal of SteeltonHighspire Elementary School, believes the most important quality of her teaching career is to be herself. Each day, her passion for education positively influences the students in her school. And, the best part of her job? Without hesitation, Tamara says, “The children…they bring me back to reality.” She is also an active volunteer on the African-American/Latino Scholarship committee at Millersville. Tamara is one of 19 alumni, stu-
Walker is no stranger to performing at Phillies games—he sang with the Philadelphia Boys Choir, and in 2004 conducted the Millersville Men’s Choir performance—the first choir to perform at Citizens Bank Park. “Walking onto the field, looking at the sea of Phillies red in the stadium, knowing that in a few seconds all the attention would be on you, made this one of my top 10 most memorable performances,” said Walker, who has performed all over the world including Switzerland, South Africa and Israel. Karen Doughty, choir vice president, said, “The actual singing of the anthem was unforgettable.” “The choir sounded great. This was one of the best performances of the National Anthem I’ve ever heard. It added to the excitement of that special day in Phillies history,” according to Wesley Schmidt, senior at Millersville University, a diehard Phillies fan who happened to be in the stands on April 8. As one student summed up the experience of singing at the Phillies game, “it was phenomenal!”
Tamara Willis ‘99
dents, faculty and staff members who are appearing in a series of commercials airing on Central Pennsylvania television stations promoting the benefits of a Millersville University education and experience. To learn more, visit www.millersville.edu
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Retirees: What are they doing now? Ever wonder what your favorite retired professor or staff person is up to? This section of the Review hopes to answer those inquiries. Additional stories will be posted in upcoming issues of the Review.
Karl Moyer at Millersville 1964 to 1996: Professor of music and choral director Fondest Memories: The students. Taking a springboard diving course with John Apple and remaining incognito over half the semester until students figured out who I was. Playing organ recitals in Lyte; helping to build the music collection in Ganser Library. Highlights of retirement: Learning more German; winning the “old man” category of the Red Rose Five Mile Run in Lancaster, May 2008; several organ recitals.
Clayton Thomas at Millersville 1959 to 1978: Custodian Fondest Memories: Wonderful people to work for and with; the students singing Christmas songs in Lyte; the students marching to the auditorium for graduation, with music playing, the blue sky and the flag waving in the breeze. Highlights of retirement: Custodian and lawn mowing at New Danville Mennonite School. We moved to Mennonite Home in 1986, due to wife’s illness and got a job of mowing grass here and still do. To me, no work is more fun than mowing with good equipment.
Kathy Borelli
Margaret Neal ‘77
Bonnie Goshen ‘84
at Millersville 1972 to 2004: Administrative assistant, veterans affairs coordinator Fondest Memories: Working with the international students, veterans, and orientation program; getting to know so many students and totally enjoying my job. Highlights of retirement: Rest and relaxation! Going on cruises to Hawaii, Canada, Bermuda, Alaska and the Caribbean; being able to go see my nieces and nephew play high school and collegiate sports.
at Millersville 1969 to 2004: Administrative assistant in men’s athletics Fondest Memories: Working with Dr. Gene Carpenter when he was hired as the new athletic director; each day was exciting and challenging! Highlights of retirement: Became grandmother; substitute teacher; traveled to Portugal and Ireland.
at Millersville 1974 to 2005: Nurse supervisor/nurse practitioner in student affairs/health services Fondest Memories: The students and staff. Many, many good memories. Highlights of retirement: Travel, gardening and lots of time with my hubby.
Gene R. Wise at Millersville 1966 to 1997: Director of financial aid, head baseball coach Fondest Memories: Had a wonderful staff working for me; won several PSAC baseball championships; since retirement, many alumni express their appreciation for my help in resolving their financial problems during their enrollment at Millersville. Highlights of retirement: Travel, golfing, hiking; volunteering with high school students and student financial aid matters (see page 2 for photo of Wise and two other retired coaches).
Thomas G. Greco at Millersville 1976 to 2005: Professor of chemistry Fondest Memories: Many wonderful friends at Millersville–the widespread camaraderie and cooperation among the faculty, staff and administration during the pre-SSHE years gave Millersville a family feel, a community-wide sense of purpose. Highlights of retirement: Lots of environmental volunteer work; golf, exercise, gardening, yoga, and some travel; much excitement in expecting our first grandchild; lots of beach time and some fishing, too.
Recent Millersville retirees: ›› Jean Bradel, music ›› Frances M. Corse, migrant education ›› Elizabeth M. Gardner, English ›› Marlys Harris, Office of the President ›› Dr. Marianne S. Kerlavage, art ›› Dr. Rethinasamy K. Kittappa, mathematics ›› Kenneth B. Ott, maintenance operations ›› Jack L. Reed, dining & conference services ›› Dr. Bernard L. Schroeder, mathematics ›› Dr. Edward Shane, School of Mathematics & Science ›› Donna E. Smith, nursing ›› David J. Weigel, administrative information services ›› Dr. Carol A. Welsh, educational foundations
SUMMER 2009
CAMPUS LIFE
Honors and awards: Recognizing accomplishments and contributions to Millersville More than 1,200 people attended this year’s Honors & Awards Convocation on Saturday, April 18, to recognize approximately 300 students. Also, the alumni asssociation presented its top awards. Student Awards Dr. Timothy Trussel, assistant professor of sociology/anthropology, set the stage with his comments directed to the students. “For every 100 people who originally applied to Millersville, one is sitting here today to be honored—you.” “...In the faculty, we really never get the chance to say this, but I think this is the proper venue to let you know just how much we appreciate you. You are the people who show up early and stay late to ask questions. You are the students of intellectual rigor—you are the ones who truly think about the subject and turn it over in your minds. You know you do not get ahead by turning things in late. The dog, strangely, never seems to eat your homework…imagine that! Most of you are here today under the mistaken idea that you are receiving an award. This is not true—you are not being GIVEN anything. You are here today because you have EARNED your award.” Alumni Awards Paul S. Beideman ‘71 was honored with the 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award. This award is the most prestigious award bestowed upon an alumnus/ na by the Millersville University Alumni Association. Beideman is the president and CEO of Associated Banc-Corp in Green Bay Wisconsin. In 2007, Beideman and his wife
established The Paul and Caroline Beideman Honors College Fellowship Program at Millersville University. The gift provides a scholarship and mentoring program for honors Dr. Charles Winter, Paul Beideman ‘71 and Stanley Kabacinski were honored by the alumni association. students. On hand to present the award was last year’s distinguished alumni also the first surgeon in the U.S. to attach recipient, Dr. Gary L. Miller ’80. an electric arm. Honorary Alumnus awards were given Now retired, Winter, in 2007, donated to Dr. Charles Winter and Stanley Ka$1 million to Millersville University in sup-
Adrienne K. Veilleux met Dr. William B. McIlwaine, professor emeritus, at the donor reception. She is the recipient of the Dr. William B. McIlwaine Scholarship in Earth Science.
bacinski. The 2008 award recipient, W. Lee Eastwood, made the presentation. Dr. Charles Winter is a world renowned surgeon, who is now retired. In 1963, he made medical history when he reattached a Lancaster farmer’s severed arm with an innovative technique. He was
port of a visual and performing arts center. Stanley Kabacinski, better known as Coach Kab, began his career at Millersville University in 1978 and retired in 2007. During that time, he was an assistant professor, an assistant football coach, offensive coordinator and later a recruiting coordinator and strength coach for eleven years. He was instrumental in developing the athletic coaching academic minor, and in the initiation and implementation of the Master in Education in Sport Management program at Millersville. Coach Kab is a motivational consultant for the NCAA Sports Sciences Speaker’s Bureau and authored the textbook Coach Kab Presents: Success Strategies to Motivate... Focus…Empower the Champion Within.
ContributorS Communications Students: Alexandra Wachman & Lucas Neiderer
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SUMMER 2009
Good chemistry: Student faculty research results in Merck award When Dr. Steven Bonser was attending American Chemical Society (ACS) meetings while he worked at Eastman Kodak, he dreamed of one day attending the meetings as an academician with his students. This August, Bonser will realize that dream when he attends the meeting as an assistant professor of chemistry at Millersville University with honors student, Laura Ruiz Espelt. Ruiz Espelt, who graduated from Millersville on May 2, with a degree in chemistry, will be picking up one of five Merck Index Women in Chemistry Scholarship Awards. She will receive it at the 238th ACS national meeting and exposition in Washington, D.C., and, as part of the symposium, will give an
oral presentation on her research. “This is really, really special for me,” said Bonser. “I am so proud of Ms. Ruiz Espelt, you can’t imagine.” The 23-year-old Ruiz Espelt is a native of Spain who transferred to Millersville two years ago from one of the University’s partner institutions, the University of Burgos. She has been working with Bonser to develop novel diaziridine intermediates to be used for the synthesis of specific therapeutic/ medicinal molecules, to treat anxiety and depression. “It was a huge surprise to receive the award. I never expected it,” said Ruiz Espelt. “Dr. Bonser definitely gave me the chemistry bug and encouraged me
to go to graduate school.” Ruiz Espelt will start this fall in the Ph.D. program at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. “I try to instill in my students that a certain pride and privilege comes with doing laboratory research,” said Bonser. “I want them to catch the science bug, but I also want them to have fun.” Bonser was with Eastman Kodak for 22 years as a senior R&D organic chemist before taking early retirement. He spent two years teaching at Bloomsburg and then moved to Millersville. The Merck award includes a $5,000 check, a stipend for travel and ACS meeting registration, as well as invitations to several special events.
SUMMER 2009
CAMPUS LIFE
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder shares story of values of corporate and community engagement The Civic and Community Engagement Research (CCERP) project at Millersville featured Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc., on April 16 at the University. Greenfield and his co-founder and friend since junior high school, Ben Cohen, built a store-front venture into a $300 million ice cream empire. With a pre-med degree from Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, Greenfield quit his lab technician job in 1977, took a Penn State correspondence course in ice cream making, and opened Ben & Jerry’s Homemade ice cream parlor in Burlington, Vermont, in 1978. Greenfield and his partner were awarded the Corporate Giving Award in 1988 for donating 7.5 percent of their profits to nonprofit organizations, by the Council of Economic Priorities, and were named the U.S. Small Business Persons of the Year in 1988 in a White House ceremony hosted by President Regan. Greenfield spoke at Millersville as part of CCERP’s second annual Distinguished Civic Leadership Awards. The people who will receive the Distinguished Civic Leadership Awards prior to the lecture include:
Above: Jerry Greenfield, the “Jerry” of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, spoke at the second annual CCERP awards. The pesentation was followed by an ice cream social, of course.
Nonprofit: Risa Paskoff, executive director of Aarons Acres Millersville Student: Shannon Hickey, founder of Mychal’s Message Faculty Emeriti: Dr. Betty J. Finney, myriad of community services Faculty/Staff: Dr. Blaise Liffick, computer science, and his wife, Alanna Berger, Silent Witness and MU Allies Programs Millersville Alumnus: Thomas
Baker, leadership advocate and author: Get Involved Making the Most of Your Twenties and Thirties. Community Awareness Group: Dr. Nazli Hardy, computer science, and Charlie Reisinger - Millersville University/ Penn Manor Cyber Partnership Local/Regional/National Figure: Dr. Albert Alley, founder of the World Blindness Outreach Foundation
Best of the Class
Best of the Class
The best and brightest high school graduates represented more than 100 Susquehanna Valley schools. WGAL-TV honored the seniors with an event held at Millersville University where they tossed their mortarboards in the air, making a colorful and joyous image. Three of the valedictorians are entering Millersville University this fall.
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Commencement 2009
Above: Don Eberly delivered the commencement speech. Left: Graduates lift their diplomas in the air. Below: Former state senator Gib Armstrong received an honorary degree.
Another crop of students made their way through the classes, papers, assignments and examinations and have joined the ranks of Millersville alumni. Despite the threat of rain, family members and friends filled Biemesderfer Stadium on the morning of May 2, as the class of 2009 received their diplomas—88 graduate students and 924 undergraduate students. Out of the more than 1,000 graduates, 406 individuals earned the pleasure of hearing cum laude, magna cum laude or summa cum laude after their names. An internationally noted author and civic entrepreneur, Don Eberly, was the commencement speaker. He is an advocate for a civil society and private philanthropy. With more than 25 years of public policy experience, he served in
key staff positions in Congress and as a White House aide for two presidents. In 2008, Eberly received the Distinguished Civic Leadership Award from Millersville University.
In his speech, he encouraged the new graduates to “Serve in the spirit of Lincoln:” “In the face of our present day economic trials, ‘we the people’ must create, ‘we’ must invent, ‘we’ must build sustainable enterprise, ‘we’ must be good stewards, ‘we’ must make lifelong learning our lifestyle, and ‘we’ must overcome adversity.” Former state senator Gibson E. Armstrong was presented with an honorary degree of Humane Letters for his contributions to Millersville University as well as Pennsylvania’s society as a whole. Armstrong retired in 2009 after more than 30 years serving as an elected official in the Pennsylvania State Assembly. Among his many other accomplishments, he was a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Vietnam War.
SUMMER 2009
F A C U L T Y S P OT L I G HT
Dr. Cheryl Desmond E D U C AT I O N A L F O U N D AT I O N S
This educator fights for the causes of peace, equality and justice.
With a strong commitment to peace, Dr. Cheryl Desmond is also known for her work in environmental, social and political justice. So, it might seem a bit surprising to know that Desmond is quite fond of Tony Soprano, the violent mobster of the HBO series “The Sopranos,” who “bumps off” his enemies in rapid fire succession. “I was active in the peace efforts prior to and during the Iraq War,” says Desmond. “So I can’t quite explain why I like Tony so much, but I do.” She is a professor of educational foundations and graduate coordinator for the Master of Education degree in Leadership for Teaching and Learning Program. She is warm, energetic, open-minded and highly motivated. Her family raised her to be involved in politics and to stand up for her beliefs. “As soon as I turned 21, my father, a Constitutionalist, took me to the courthouse to register to vote, even though he knew I would be registering with a different party,” recalls Desmond. Her family encouraged her to be informed, vote regularly, speak out and be
involved in the community and the nation. She took that to heart and in 2004 ran for state legislator from Lancaster. Desmond is involved in women’s studies activities on campus and is active in several community organizations in the southeast portion of the City of Lancaster. She has also researched and worked in the areas of peace, politics and sustainability in El Salvador since 1997. Other research interests include educational policy, leadership and curriculum history. Desmond has taught at Syracuse University, Dartmouth, Stevens College of Technology, Dickinson College and several school districts. For nearly 20 years, Millersville has been at the core of her life as an educator. And she thrives on it. “Millersville is special because of the people. Our students and our constant work to improve the campus demonstrate that. I enjoy my students and my colleagues very much,” says Desmond. When she’s not teaching, meeting with a University or community committee or working for her cherished causes,
Desmond finds the beach one of the best places to unwind. She likes to stroll along the sand and watch the ocean waves. In fact, anything to do with the sea appeals to her. She loves to bring a book—or several of them—and read to the tune of the ocean waves. She also enjoys traveling to places such as Europe, Mexico, El Salvador, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. There, she can discover the world and learn new things. In second grade, Desmond decided to be a teacher. She had toyed with the idea of joining the circus or being a spy for the C.I.A., but it was clear that education was her true calling. Today, you might find Dr. Desmond teaching a class to future teachers, guiding a graduate student, relaxing at the beach, hiking along a nature trail, working on her writing, dining on locally grown organic foods or kayaking on the stream or river. Or, you might just find this peace-loving, kind-hearted woman relishing the antics of a Mafia kingpin. “I guess I have a few surprises in me after all,” she smiles.
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SUMMER 2009
Millersville University By Cris Foehlinger
Alumni
Association No, says Rich Frerichs ‘64, whose term as president of the alumni association ended July 1. The association is working hard to reconnect alumni to Millersville University. “Many alumni fall away from the University after they graduate and they don’t get the opportunity to go back,” said Frerichs, who served as a faculty member for 36 years. “When we talk to them, they say they would like to go back but they have no avenue to do so. We are trying to provide that avenue.” “People I meet loved their time at Millersville, and the University helped with their careers, so they want to give back and mentor students so they can make a difference on campus,” said Dianne O’Connor, Millersville’s alumni services director. “We try to keep alumni engaged with the University through events, the media and technology. Of course, the
Duncan Alumni House Timeline
T
he Millersville University Alumni Association (MUAA) has come a long way in the past century— programmatically, economically, volunteer-wise and socially. Over the years, the loyalty and pride displayed by its alumni has never swayed, but it has been re-energized with its new strategic direction under the leadership of Dr. Richard Frerichs ’64, the immediate past present of the alumni association (president from 2007-09) and William Martin ‘81, new association president. Alumni of Millersville University (and the previous names it was known by), automatically become members of the Millersville University Alumni Association. This entitles them to a range of benefits (see page 16) including a subscription to the Millersville Review— free of charge. Is that all there is?
Millersville Review is a great way to keep them connected.”
Structure of the association The alumni association represents more than 54,000 Millersville alumni. Of those, more than 39,000 reside in Pennsylvania and the others are in all fifty states and 49 countries across the globe. For many people, coming back to campus on a regular basis is not possible. But, there are many ways to be involved. The association is structured as a nonprofit entity, separate from the University, and generates revenue to help finance alumni programs and events. It funds programs, events, awards and scholarships to benefit Millersville University and engender alumni pride. Revenue is raised through the services provided to alumni such as insurance and the credit card program, as well as the sale of items such as Millersville license plates,
1904 The 18-room house was built by the grandchildren of Lancaster County pioneer, John Bausman.
1968 The alumni association purchased the house for $45,500 from Dr. Clyde Musselman, who used the building as his home and medical office.
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C OV E R S TOR Y
Millersville’s alumni association can be traced to 1860. The Homecoming tradition began in 1933.
and roses and photography at commencement. The alumni association maintains about $1.3 million in assets which support programs and several scholarships to students each year (see page 15).
HOMECOMING AND EVENTS One of the most visible events sponsored by the association is Homecoming. This popular event encourages alumni to come back to campus, rekindle friendships and stay current with what’s going on at their alma mater. The Homecoming 2008 event was very successful, Bill Martin said, “We had a family theme that went over very well for a lot of people.”
“I was looking for an opportunity to give back to the school because I have a lot of pride in it.” -Bill Martin ‘81
Fall Fling, held in conjunction with Homecoming this year, offered events to keep people interested after the community parade ended. A treasure hunt, animals and games—set up for the children—were a big hit.
1983
1995
The association turned over ownership of 205-207 North George Street to the University for one dollar for the legal exchange of the property. In 1991, a two-story addition was added to the building.
The building was renamed Duncan Alumni House to honor former president Dr. William H. Duncan ‘40 and his wife Alma.
“We had clowns, face painting and other events that made it a family affair, especially for those with young children,” Frerichs said. “More people are coming back and more are volunteering. That speaks to the momentum we are building as an association.”
VOLUNTEERING Involved, energetic volunteers are at the heart of the alumni association. “It provides a volunteer experience second to none,” O’Connor said. Bill Martin is a great example of getting involved in the association and seeing where it can lead. He joined the board of directors in 2003. “I was looking for an opportunity to give back to the school because I have a lot of pride in it.” While serving as head of the Student Advancement Committee, the executive committee approached him about serving as president-elect of the board. “It was kind of a natural step,” he said. “I see the momentum building with the number of people coming back and
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SUMMER 2009
Who is bill martin? President, Millersville University Alumni Association. His favorite color is red, his favorite candy bar is Snickers and his favorite holiday is July 4th. He likes to read, watch movies and watch or play sports. His hobbies include volleyball, golf, World War II history and movie trivia. Class of 1981, degree in business administration. Employment: Production planning manager at R.R. Donnelley for more than twenty years. As a student at good ole’ Millersville, Bill liked being able to complete a valuable internship associated with his major and spend time with the people he was closest to. Now, his favorite part about Millersville is seeing the progress on campus and the growing positive reputation of the institution. As well as being the new alumni president and having served on all of the alumni association committees, Bill is also a member of the Black and Gold Club. When asked why he wanted to be the president of the Millersville University Alumni Association, Bill answered, “When I was at Millersville, I always felt I was at my best when I was with the people I was closest to. Assuming the role of president is my way of staying connected, keeping the memories alive and giving back.” What more could we ask for?
getting involved with the University. We need to develop ways for the association to become more regional. We want to reach out and get involved with [alumni] from out of the area.” The board president serves for two years as president-elect, then two years as president and two years as past-president. Martin explained that being involved for six years gives the board continuity. “I’m a business major so I have a different outlook than those with an educational background,” the 23-year veteran product planning manager for R.R. Donnelly said.
“More people are coming back and more are volunteering.” - Rich Frerichs ‘64
While reaching out to graduates who may want to reconnect, the association is also working with current students, encouraging them to sit on the board and committees (see page 15). “We work toward student engagement through our Alumni from Day
Rose sales is one way the association generates revenue for its programs and events.
One program so we can connect with the students while they are on campus,” O’Connor said. She added the students can learn how to handle boardroom situations and conflict resolution before ever stepping foot into the business world. “We also work with the University’s career services office to offer alumni a place to post their resumes,” she said. Help is also available for resume writing and interviewing skills. The service is free to alumni for the first three years following graduation, and then $20 a year after that. Martin said most people don’t know what the association is all about. “I knew we had an association but I didn’t know what it was about. I thought you had to know someone to get involved. That is not true at all,” he said. Jerri Anne Johnson ‘76 knows all about that. She spent 20 years in Chicago before moving back to the area a year-and-
alumni association History 1860 Millersville Alumni
Association formed
1893 First alumni branch
established—Philadelphia
1906 Alumni branch in New
York City, until about 1940. They met at the worldrenowned Hotel Astor.
1933 Homecoming celebration began
2004 Shanghai,
China, was established as the first international branch
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Volunteer opportunities – Get involved! The Board of Directors Would you like to work to strengthen alumni relations in support of the University’s mission? Consider joining the MUAA Board of Directors. Board members must be nominated and are elected to two-year terms, the Millersville University Alumni Association (MUAA) Board of Directors meets four times annually to encourage and support alumni relationships with the University. ALUMNI CommitteeS typically meet four times in one year. Join one! Financial Planning If you are a “number cruncher,” have we got a committee for you! Use your expertise to help us manage the alumni association’s funds on this very important committee. This group also develops the MUAA budget which is adopted by the Board. Nominations & Awards The alumni association gives thousands of dollars in grants and scholarships annually to current Millersville students. Help review award nominations, develop award criteria and assist in the development of the board member nomination slate. Alumni Development Are you good at making friends and raising money at the same time? The “friend raisers” on this committee develop alumni to become more involved and supportive of the University financially and in other ways.
They guide efforts in reunion giving, corporate sponsorships and investments, as well as place “thank you” calls and build relationships. Alumni Programs Do you know how to throw a party? This committee helps with activities for Homecoming and other alumni programs throughout the year. Members of this subcommittee help plan family-friendly events, and networking and social events. Student Advancement Do you enjoy working on teams with all types of people? The Student Advancement Committee works with a variety of University departments to assist in the recruitment of prospective students and involvement of students and alumni in campus activities. The committee works closely with the MU Student Ambassadors, a student alumni organization. Technology Are you on Facebook? Twitter? Linked In? Are you a member of the Millersville alumni online community? We need your expertise. We need to be where our alumni are and where are most of them? On the internet! This committee will seek out ways to utilize social media and the Internet to keep in touch with alumni and increase alumni engagement. Volunteer Opportunities: Do you want to get involved, but prefer to not work through a committee? We can use your help in other ways.
Admissions Volunteer Alumni assist Millersville admissions counselors at scheduled recruitment events, including college fairs and new student receptions, by providing information to prospective students, such as programs of study, financial aid, etc. Training is provided. Career Services Individual alumni can assist students with developing their resumes, mock interviews, job placement skills and mentoring, as well as providing information on co-op programs. Mentoring Alliance Program (MAP) This “one-on-one” program allows you to work on-campus with an individual student. Event Volunteers The alumni association puts on lots of events throughout the year and need alumni to help run them. Sports fan? Try a Lancaster Barnstormers or Hershey Bears alumni event. Always come back for Homecoming? Take a shift at the alumni hospitality table. If you are willing we will find a place for you! Lancaster Branch Committee This committee is looking for some “creative thinkers” who can generate ideas for “get-togethers” and help in a “hands-on” way to lead events for alumni living in Lancaster County. Get involved with your alma mater. Contact 800-681-1855 or mualumni@millersvilLe.edu
scholarships The Alumni Association Nominations and Awards Committee has the privilege of awarding several students with scholarships and grants. Alumni Scholarship is awarded annually to the student with the highest Q.P.A., as determined by the University, who has earned more than 60 but less than 72 credits upon completion of the spring semester.
Neimeyer-Hodgson Student Research Grants. The Neimeyer-Hodgson Fund was established with monies bequeathed to the Millersville University Alumni Association by Minnie Menges Niemeyer ’23 and Laura L. Hodgson, mother of Pearl Hodgson ’31. This undergraduate grant program was introduced in 1983. The Hazel Rork Schmuck ‘26 Scholarship was established in 1995 from a bequest by Hazel Rork Schmuck ‘26, who was
a longtime educator in the School District of Lancaster. African-American and Latino Alumni Scholarship was started in 1995 by a group of Millersville University alumni to create a scholarship for AfricanAmerican and Latino undergraduate upperclassmen. The alumni association also awards male and female athletic scholarships and a legacy scholarship to a student of an alumnus.
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alumni benefits Alumni are entitled to a variety of products and services. Some of the benefits help to generate revenue for the alumni association to cover costs for alumni programming. Current benefits and services include the following: Exclusive Alumni Online Community. This is a passwordprotected site where you can register for events, submit class notes, upload photos, make changes to the alumni directory and more. Career services Transcript services Special rates on auto, renters and homeowners insurance with Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. Short-term medical health insurance with GradMed. This is a great program for new graduates and unemployed alumni. Long-term care with Personal Health Services. VISA credit card with US Bank. Great rewards, no annual fee and a choice between the swans or Biemesderfer picture on your card. This is the only credit card that supports the Millersville alumni association. Every dollar you spend generates money for alumni events and programs. Millersville University license plates (Pa. residents only). A portion of sales goes directly to the alumni association for programming. Rental of Gordinier Dining Hall for parties, weddings, meetings or conferences. Travel programs with Millersville’s Destinations Travel or the Pennsylvania State System Alumni & Friends Travel Program. MUAA-sponsored events both on and off campus. ALUMNI DIRECTORY - new edition will be published in late 2009. MOVING SERVICES - Packing up to move across town or the country? Get a discount from Hawk Vision Wheaton Moving. And, of course, the Review magazine!
For more information on these services, call 800-681-1855 or visit www.villealumni.com
a-half ago. “I just love the Review because it was my one connection to Millersville,” she said. “I saw they [the association] needed mentors so I signed up,” said Johnson, a former teacher, who is now a pharmaceutical executive with Abbott Laboratories. Millersville University Alumni Association board: Seated (left to right): “Then I saw they Bill Martin ‘81, Bill Benner ‘84, Abe Breslin ‘98, Tom Baker ‘02 Standing (l-r): Dianne O’Connor (executive director), Nicole Bomberger needed board mem’01, Carl Enst ’60, Rich Frerichs ’64, Steve Focht ‘70, Lee Walter ’88, Dan bers so I dropped by Sidelrick ’75, Jerri Anne Johnson ’76, Kristin Waters ’05, Jonh Held [the alumni office ’02, Amy Hoffman ’94, Lori Dierolf ’91, Scott Bailey ’98 and Aaron Clevenstine ‘01. in Duncan Alumni House] to get information. Frankly, I never international business. Torres, a particithought I’d be on the board, but I went to pant in the University’s Aim for Success a meeting and got elected,” she chuckled. program, is a first-generation immigrant “It’s exciting to me to get involved.” from Mexico. This year, there were 31 candidates “She struggles with language issues so I running for the board. “We’ve never had help her with that,” Johnson said. “We get that many, so this says great things about together about once a month and do fun what we are doing,” said O’Connor. things and talk.” Johnson, while enjoying her work on “She takes me places I have never been the board, also spends time as a mentor to help me explore things,” the young to Rocio Torres, a junior interested in Torres said. “She took me to the symphony and to restaurants so I can taste new stuff. I need to know about other cultures and foods because I want to go into international business,” she said. “She also helps me with my school work when I need it.” “It’s been fun for me, but also helpful as a board member,” Johnson said. “It gives me insight and allows me to keep my finger on the pulse, not just of the alumni, but the future alumni too.” “There truly is something for everyone,” Martin said of the association. “We have a wide range of things for people to get involved in, whether they have a lot During the celebration for Millersville Univerof time or just a few hours a year. sity’s 150th anniversary, the alumni associa“We just want to keep the activity tion produced a book featuring 150 faces that represented Millersville. flowing,” he said.
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Alumni‘09
Weekend
Class of 1953 and friends. Dr. Joe Glass, president of the class of 1953 is standing.
Gwendolyn Grimm ‘57, Rev. Wayne Smith and Dr. Dominick DiNunzio ‘53
Darlene Newman ’84 (far right) was one of the eight alumni who received the Outstanding Service Award. Members of her family joined her at the luncheon.
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Gina Ciallella C aunt, Lenora rawford ‘96 (center) w ith (Wright) Ha milton ’66 (f her and her mo ar left) ther, Sheila (Ciallella) C rawford.
Erika Styer, Denise Weidman (University Advancement) and Alyson Clark are all smiles. Students Styer and Clark both received scholarship awards at the Honors and Award ceremony.
rmer alumni Phil Loht ‘65, fo ille ent, and Millersv id es association pr . ry ai cN M e G. President Francin
Student ambassadors (left to right): Stephanie Coleman, Shannon Custer, Tom Hence, Angela Lobein and Theresa Fitti.
Reunion celebrates the 50th anniversary of Graduate Studies.
Standing: Joyce Nolt ‘62 and Gary Bell ‘62 chat with fellow alumni.
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There’s a Chef in My Kitchen Donna Desfor Discovers the World of Food, Glorious Food by Laura Knowles
W
Photo credit: Dan Gleiter
hen Donna Marie (Zotter) Desfor ‘85 was a student at Millersville back in the ’80s, she didn’t think much about food. She was a political science major on a career path toward law. Like everyone else, Desfor went to the cafeteria and dined on macaroni and cheese with stewed tomatoes. She frequented the Sugar Bowl for turkey bolis and the SMC (Student Memorial Center) for tin roof sundae ice cream. “I remember thinking at one point. I never knew you could do so many things with chicken, and then vowing never to eat chicken once I graduated,” recalls Desfor. Who could have predicted that one day, the aspiring lawyer would turn her attention to the kitchen and become known as a culinary consultant and chef with her own foodie business, There’s A Chef in My Kitchen, LLC? But that’s
exactly what happened to Desfor, who earned a law degree from Duquesne University School of Law in 1990. That same year, she was admitted to the bar and began practicing law at Bethlehem Steel Corporation. As she traveled to other cities on business, she dined at many fine restaurants. When she moved into private practice in Philadelphia, she experienced an array of dining options, from famous high-end restaurants to local bistros to small neighborhood secrets. “Learning about food, and then wine, became my creative outlet at the end of a long, stressful day,” says Desfor, adding that she studied recipes from magazines and cookbooks. Somewhere along the way, Desfor switched gears and realized that her interest in cooking had become her passion. While still working as a lawyer, she applied and was accepted into L’ecoles de Chefs program and into the kitchen of Master Chef Frank Zlomke in the Paarl Wine Valley in South Africa. There she trained in contemporary French cuisine. “It was there that everything changed. I learned to taste food and understand how flavors and taste and texture work together. When I returned [to the United States] I knew things had changed, and I had changed,” she recalls. It took a lay-off from a consulting firm job in Harrisburg to close one door and open a new one for the aspiring chef. She decided to chase after her dream and roll out a culinary consulting business that would help people learn to cook in their own homes with their own equipment. Her business, There’s A Chef in My Kitchen, was born and she began to work on creating recipes, writing food articles and immersing herself in the world of glorious food. “I chose to steer clear of restaurants
For Desfor, food is the common tie that binds us all, sustains us all, nourishes us, fuels us and is at the center of every celebration. and catering because I was certain that I didn’t want to be in a [commerical] kitchen. Instead I wanted to be with people and teach them to experience food in the ways that I had been taught to,” says Desfor. After she started There’s a Chef in My Kitchen, she helped to launch a website and provide original recipes and articles. She created “test tasting dinners,” which allowed people to come into her home and experience the creative process through a multi-course meal that invited guests to become food critics of the recipes she created. The local CBS-affiliate TV station invited her to be a regular weekend guest chef. When Desfor married David Desfor, a principal in Hersha Hospitality Group, she gained a son, Matthew, 13. The Desfors have been married for three years and live in Mechanicsburg, Pa. The
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family loves traveling, skiing, going to their Long Beach Island, N.J., home, sailing, horseback riding, theater, concerts and food. “Our son is quite the young chef! He has an amazing palate and is very capable in describing tastes and helping me bring flavor combinations into balance,” says Desfor. The Desfors are currently renovating a new tasting room and office where she will work, teach and offer tasting dinners. Located in Mechanicsburg, the new tasting room will be called The Baudelaire Onion. As Desfor points out, There’s a Chef in My Kitchen gives people permission to experiment with food and enjoy the process of discovery. Her goal is to guide people to trust their instincts and understand that people have their own personal flavor preferences. In short, she wants people to know that cooking should be fun. As a child, Desfor was influenced by her Polish, Slavic and German ancestry. Growing up in Pittsburgh, she still has fond memories of her Polish-speaking grandfather, who was a butcher. She remembers watching him sharpen his knives, cut up meat, make kielbasa, sausages and sandwiches. Family occasions were special events with an Old World flavor and hearty meals with a roast, vegetables, soup and bread. The first food Desfor can remember making is cream puffs for her seventhgrade French class. They were such a hit, she got sick from eating too many of them. She earned her Girl Scout cooking badge, but never thought much more about food until she graduated from Millersville. Today, more than ever, Desfor believes that food is more than just sustenance. Through There’s a Chef in My Kitchen,
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medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour until it is paste-like and very light golden in color. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Raise the heat to medium and continue whisking until the milk thickens a bit, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the mascarpone and ricotta until smooth and incorporated. Whisk in the Parmigiano Reggiano until melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir the farfalline into the cheese sauce. The mixture should be a bit more on the saucy side rather than the thick and cheesy side. The pasta will continue to absorb moisture and thicken a bit while it holds. Hold over low heat until ready to serve.
‘Ville Inspired Macaroni ‘n’ Cheese A tribute to the ‘Ville Macaroni ‘n’ Cheese with Stewed Tomatoes served with Wine Poached Chicken in a Butter Chive Sauce
By Donna Marie Desfor, ’85, There’s a Chef in My Kitchen (Serves 6)
Note: if the sauce and pasta thicken too much use a bit of the reserved pasta water to thin it out.
For the Stewed Tomatoes: 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 garlic cloves, through a press 1 small sweet onion, diced (about 3/4 cup) 1/2 red bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup) 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped, medium dice (about 1 cup) (save fennel fronds for poached chicken bouquet garni) 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes Coarse salt 1 small carrot (preferably organic) peeled, grated 1 28 oz. can whole, peeled tomatoes 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons red wine 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped oregano, for garnish
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts split (4 pieces, about 1 1/2 lbs. total) 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth 1 cup dry white wine 1/4 cup sake or Chinese cooking wine (optional)
For the Macaroni ‘n’ Cheese: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 cloves garlic, through a press 2 tablespoons all-purposed, unbleached flour 2 cups whole milk 4 ounces (about 1/2 cup) mascarpone cheese 1/2 cup fresh ricotta (substitute fresh grated fontina or gruyere cheese) 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese Coarse salt 1/2 pound farfalline (small bow ties) or other small shaped pasta
Prepare the Stewed Tomatoes: In a medium-size, heavy pot, place the butter and pressed garlic and set over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and bubbles subside add the onion, pepper, fennel, and spices. Season with coarse salt and sauté until the mixture is soft and the onions are translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the carrot and continue to sauté an additional 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice; use a wooden spoon or kitchen sheers to break up the whole tomatoes into bite size pieces. Add a bit more salt then reduce the heat to very low and stew the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick about 2 to 3 hours. For this stew, your vegetable mixture should barely bubble. Mix the tomato paste with the wine and add 2 tablespoons of water. Add the mixture to the stew. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the fresh oregano just before serving. The stew can be made up to 2 days ahead. Let cool and refrigerate covered. Reheat over a low heat until warmed through.
For the Wine Poached Chicken: 1 medium leek, white and light green part only, trimmed and rinsed; 1 leaf top reserved for the bouquet garni 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 garlic cloves, through a press (or 1 garlic clove per chicken breast half) 1-2 large stems fresh tarragon 5 sprigs fresh thyme 2 large stems fresh oregano 1 sprig fresh dill (or sprig of fennel fronds from fennel used for stewed tomatoes) 4 sprigs fresh parsley 2 bay leaves 2 teaspoons peppercorns, Szechuan, pink, green, or white, or any combination of each
Butter Sauce: 2 tablespoons white wine 1 1/2 to 2 sticks butter 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper, to season Garnish: Fresh chopped chives Fresh chopped oregano Fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano (optional)
Prepare the Macaroni ‘n’ Cheese: In a large saucepan of boiling, generously salted water, cook the farfalline according to the directions until just cooked. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter with the garlic in a medium saucepan over
Prepare the Poached Chicken: Coarsely chop the leeks. In a large stockpot melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and the garlic and cook until softened, taking care not to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a bouquet garni by stuffing the reserved leek top with the sprigs and stems of herbs and secure with butcher’s twine. Add the peppercorns to the leek mixture and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the bay leaf and combine until fragrant, another 30 seconds. Add the bouquet garni and toss about with the leeks and spices until warmed through. Position the bouquet garni in the center of the pot and place the chicken breasts over and around the herbs. Add the broth and the wine, and the sake, if using. Add water to cover the chicken breasts by two inches. Increase the heat to high. Once the liquid begins to boil, cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let sit for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 2 hours or so. Remove the chicken from the liquid and chop or shred into bite size pieces. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To Serve Make the butter sauce: In a small saucepan, bring 2 tablespoons water and the white wine to a boil over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and whisk until incorporated. Keep adding butter, a bit at time, until enough butter is incorporated to yield about 1 to 1 1/2 cups, which is needed for the recipe. Add a pinch of salt and a bit of fresh ground pepper, to season. Add the chicken in and gently toss until the chicken is evenly coated in the sauce. In the middle of 6 warmed serving plates, ladle a bit of the stewed tomatoes and swirl around from the center creating a well in the center of the plate. Place a generous serving of the macaroni and cheese sauce in the center space and carefully mound equal portions of the chicken in the center of the macaroni. Garnish with fresh chives and fresh oregano, and a fresh grate of Parmigiano Reggiano, if desired. Serve immediately.
Desfor offers a forum for teaching people about food, how to taste it, cook it and entertain with it. She teaches classes in people’s homes, does mini-workshops and lectures, offers guided tastings, creates recipes for food products and does on-air appearances. When Desfor creates a recipe, all she needs is a bit of inspiration, such as fresh produce at the local market or a great cut of meat. She’ll start to picture the dish— or rather taste it—in her mind. She begins testing, tasting and taking notes, until her new recipe evolves. “So let’s say I’m going to create my tribute to Gordinier’s Mac ‘n’ Cheese,” says Desfor. “It has to be elegant and not your typical comfort food. I want it to reflect an evolution of my life from college to law school through life and travel and into a new career.” For Desfor, food is the common tie that binds us all, sustains us all, nourishes us, fuels us and is at the center of every celebration. Many of life’s emotional moments occur around food or take place in the kitchen. “To me, food is everything. It is why, I believe, I was put on this planet. Every day I am in some way engaged in the creative process involving food,” says Desfor, who collects hundreds of cookbooks and has written “Seriously Good (dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free) Food” as a tribute to her nephew, Luke, who was born with serious food allergies. She has a web site at www.theresachefinmykitchen.com and will soon have a new web site for The Baudelaire Onion. In April, Desfor presented a workshop on “Three Bites to Being Full and Satisfied” at the Fit & Beautiful Expo 2009 at Whitaker Center in Harrisburg. This summer WITF, Central Pennsylvania’s public television and radio station, will re-launch its newly designed WITF.
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Developing her knowledge of wine, Desfor has a passion for understanding food, flavor and the elements of taste.
Desfor encourages people to experiment with food. She believes cooking should be fun. org, and will include Desfor as one of its primary voices for its food section featuring the information, recipes and tips on the area’s seasonal best, where and what to eat, tips from our region’s best chefs and what to drink.
For Desfor, two of the most memorable meals she ever had were at the Villa San Michele in Fiesole, Italy, and Auberge du Soleil in California’s Napa Valley. She loves family dinners and quiet feasts at home, as well as comfort food at special dining spots she has discovered on vacations. Oh, yes, and she’ll admit to a secret addiction to lime flavored tortilla chips and fond memories of the macaroni and cheese at Gordinier. “I think Millersville gave me a chance to experience myself on a lot of different levels,” says Desfor. “If I had to pick one memory it would be the hundreds of people that I had the opportunity to meet, to know and to be taught by that graced that campus the four years I was there. They were funny and clever; smart and interesting. They opened my eyes and my world to things I had never experienced before.” For more information, visit www.theresachefinmykitchen.com
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© The Phillies/Photo by Miles Kennedy
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Dream Job By Justin Quinn
“
My dream was to work for the Phillies and I lived my dream.
”
F
or 45 years, Larry Shenk ‘61 has lived the dream. The 70-year-old vice president of the Philadelphia Phillies’ public relations department retired, but only to take on a fresh responsibility for the team in April 2008. “My new title is vice president of alumni relations,” he said. “I’m not a full-time employee anymore. It’s a lot less hours and a lot less headaches.” Shenk chuckled at how well the team did last year after he retired from his full-time position. “We won the world championship,” he
said. “So if I would have retired earlier, we’d have won a lot more world championships, I guess.” His tongue-in-cheek logic notwithstanding, the Phillies won the World Series three times with Shenk at helm of the PR department: in 1980, 1993 and 2008. If he had to choose, the most gratifying of those victories was probably the one in 1980, he said. “We had failed to make the World Series in ’76, ’77, ’78 and in ’79, we finished fourth,” he said. “There was a lot of negativity about the
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Four and a half decades later, Shenk still isn’t bored. Though his hours are dramatically scaled back, Shenk, whose nickname is “The Baron,” now writes a blog for the team and organizes the Phillies’ Alumni Day event every August. Over the years, Shenk has seen major changes in his beloved sport and in public relations. The first Phillies media guide produced in 1964 illustrates how much things have changed. Shenk was the creative force—and manpower—for the guide. He typed the master stencils and ran the pages on the mimeograph machine. He and his wife collated more than 17,000 pages to make 300 booklets. Julie handcolored each cover. Today, it is a collector’s item. “When I started it was basically a sport, and it has now become a huge business,” he said. “The PR busiTop: Larry stops by the dugout to greet then New York Yankees manager Joe Torre. ness has drastically changed Above: Larry has made lifelong friendships in baseball. from when I started, as well. He’s shown here with Juan Samuel, former Phillies second baseman (1983-89). In the beginning, whenever I had to announce a trade or roster move, I had to call probably 15 Shenk and his wife, Julie (Hollingsworth) or 20 people. Nowadays, you type up a Shenk ’62, continue to live in Wilmingpress release, send it out by email in a ton. The couple has two children and two matter of seconds and you’ve reached a grandchildren, and Shenk said he tries to much larger audience.” see them as much as possible. As part of his new position, Shenk gets Baseball is still a way of life. In October, to stay in touch with the Phillies’ four for example, he and his wife saw every living hall-of-famers: Robin Roberts, single Phillies game, which, he said, “was Jim Bunting, Steve Carlton and Mike awesome.” Schmidt. “I grew up a Phillies fan,” Shenk said. “I deal with Schmitty now as much as I “My dream was to work for the Phillies did when he played,” Shenk said. “ and I lived my dream.” © The Phillies
team, and people were saying, ‘We can’t win.’ I lived through 1964 when we blew the pennant by losing 10 out of the last 12 games. It was tough trying to live that down. So, ’80 finally erased 1964. That was a great moment. Last year was also a great moment, but I wasn’t involved as much. I didn’t have the same day-to-day involvement with the media and the players as I did in 1980.” When it comes to media relations, Shenk said, winning and losing both take their toll. “When you win, you work twice as hard to keep up with the demands of the media,” he said. “When you lose, you work twice as hard to create exposure for the Phillies.” Shenk started working with the Phillies in 1964. After graduating from Millersville, he took a job with the Lebanon Daily News as a part-time reporter. He then landed a sports writing position with the Wilmington News Journal in Wilmington, Del., and in 1963, he learned that the Phillies’ PR job was again available for the third straight winter. He had applied the two previous years and been rejected. Knowing of Shenk’s long-standing love for the Phillies, his assistant sports editor at the Journal urged him to apply again anyway. “I said, ‘Well, I applied the last two years and they turned me down,’” he said. “‘Plus, I’m learning a lot about sports writing here in Wilmington.’ I also was a little concerned that the position had opened up for three straight years. What was the reason there was change all the time? But I also knew that the opportunities didn’t come along very often.” The third time was the charm, Shenk said. “I was in the right place at the right time, I guess,” he said. “They offered me the job and I took it. I figured if I’m feeling bored in two to four years, I’ll return to newspapers, and I could always teach.”
© The Phillies
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ALUMNI INTEREST
SUMMER 2009
American Music Theater: Christmas Show
Barnstormers game Millersville alumni are back at the ballpark this summer! On Saturday, August 15, the Lancaster branch of the alumni association will watch the Barnstormers play the Camden Riversharks starting at 6:30 p.m. A fireworks display will follow the game. Tickets are $7. For reservations, call 800-681-1855 or www.villealumni.com
Go green In light of environmental concerns and the escalating cost of postage, Millersville will be relying more on electronic communication such as emails, Facebook and enewsletters. In order for you to get invitations, event notices and other alumni information, we need to have an email address to contact you. Please send your email address to mualumni@millersville.edu
Sunday, November 29 - 3 p.m. matinee Price is $35 for adults, $17.50 for children (ages 3-17) Back by popular demand is this year’s American Music Theater (AMT) Christmas show alumni event! Many of our 2008 attendees had never been to AMT and were thrilled to find it ranks right up there with the Radio City Music Hall show. The Christmas show is for children of all ages and offers traditional and modern holiday songs and sketches. We have reserved orchestra center seating, but space is limited so tickets must be ordered by October 23. To register or for more details visit www. villealumni.com or call 800-681-1855.
Order Entertainment Books Support your alma mater while saving money! The Millersville University Alumni Association (MUAA) will be partnering with Entertainment Book again. Each book offers hundreds of dollars in savings and discounts from area restaurants and stores to amusement parks, golf courses and more. Book prices range from $25-40, depending on the geographic location, and a percentage of each book sold will go to the MUAA to support programs and scholarships. Entertainment Books will be on sale through October, and coupons are valid beginning November 1. Visit www.villealumni.com for details.
ALU MNI EV EN T IN F O R M AT ION For event information: Call Millersville University’s Office of Alumni Services at 800-6811855, or 717-872-3352. email: mualumni@millersville.edu
To register for an event online: www.villealumni.com Click on Event Registration; locate the event and click Register Now.
New York City trips ›› September 5: U.S. Open Semi-Finals Tennis Tournament – $135 (limited seats available) ›› October 17: West Side Story - $180 or Phantom of the Opera - $140 ›› November 14: Jersey Boys - $200 or South Pacific - $180 All prices are per person, and include show/admission ticket, boxed gourmet breakfast and beverages and motor coach transportation. Broadway shows feature front mezzanine seating. For additional details or to make reservations, contact the special events office at 717-871-2308 or email specialevents@ millersville.edu.
PASSHE travel For information about Pennsylvania State System (PASSHE) Alumni and Friends Travel Programs, contact Cruisin’ Inc./Main Line Vacations at 800-5067447, or www.alumnivacations.com (and click on the drop down for Millersville University) Planned trips include: ›› September 18-30, 2009: Path of the Vikings – Transatlantic sailing from London on the Norwegian Jewel. You will visit the Shetland Islands, Reykjavik, Iceland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Prices start at only $1,279 per person including air, airport to ship transfers and 11-night cruise. (There is also a 3-night precruise package in London available, at an additional cost.) ›› July 6-16, 2010: Alpine Explorer with the Glacier Express & Oberammergau Passion Play – Only $3,599 including 16 meals. Explore the beauty of the Alpine regions of Italy, Switzerland and Germany, ending with the famed Oberammergau Passion Play, performed only once every 10 years.
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Alumni association awards During the All-Alumni Luncheon on April 18, eight alumni were honored with the Outstanding Service Award.
Gloria A. Jaremko ‘73 is an elementary wellness and fitness instructor with the Solanco School District.
Michael W. Choroneko ‘83 is a technology education teacher at Upper Darby High School.
Cher Rineer ’96/‘97M is the corporate communications coordinator for Wenger’s Feed Mill, Inc.
Gina Marie Crawford ‘96 is the supervisor of special education for Delaware County Technical Education.
Jennifer M. Strobel ‘95 is the owner of Superior Wash.
Fay Kramer ‘62 is an avid volunteer. Now retired, she was an assistant professor of educational foundations at Millersville for thirty years.
Darlene Newman ’84 is assistant women’s basketball coach for Millersville University. Lorraine Patton ‘53 is retired from the position of executive officer of Lebanon County Builder’s Association.
ALUMNI INTEREST
Alumni board election At the April 25 Millersville University Alumni Association (MUAA) board of directors meeting, elections were held for one vacant officer position and seven members-at-large positions. All eight elected positions were effective on July 1, 2009. The 2009-10 board includes executive committee members: president, William Martin ‘81, Lititz; presidentelect, Jerri Anne Johnson ‘76, Lancaster; treasurer, Stephen Focht ‘70, Lancaster; secretary, Lori Dierolf ‘91, Millersville; and immediate past-president, Richard Frerichs ’64, Millersville. Newly elected members are: › Scott Bailey ’98, Millersville › Tom Baker ’02, Pittsburgh › William Benner ’84, Lancaster › John Held ’02, Jenkintown › Eric P. Jackson ’83, Yeadon › Richard M. Moriarty ’72, Millersville › Kirstin Albright Waters ’05, York
Among the Outstanding Service award winners are Cher Rineer, Jen Strobel, Michael Choroneko, Gloria Jaremko, Lorraine Patton, Darlene Newman and Gina Crawford. Fay Kramer is missing from the photo.
2009 Millersville community parade The Millersville Community Parade’s theme is “Myths, Fables and Fairy Tales,” and will take place Saturday, October 24. Approximately 2,000 people will march or ride in the two-mile parade route through Millersville. Throughout the year, the parade committee works diligently in fundraising efforts, volunteer recruitment and entertainment planning. The biggest expenses are in the entertainment area—bands, hot air
balloons and other entertainers—which cost almost $15,000. Donations are greatly accepted—no matter how small or large! The parade committee is currently accepting applications for parade entrants, volunteers and donations.People considering a float or entry can visit the parade website at www.parade.millersville.edu For more parade details, call the Millersville University alumni services office at 800-681-1855.
The current board members include: › Nicole Bomberger ’01, Mount Joy › Abraham Breslin ’98, Reading › Aaron Clevenstine ’01, Lancaster › Gina Crawford ’96, Mullica Hill, NJ › Dr. Carl Ernst ’60, Leola › Amy Hoffman ’94, Mount Joy › Dr. Dan Sidelnick ’75, Lebanon › Leigh Walter ’88, Duncannon MUAA board members serve two-year terms and meet four times annually. The alumni association is committed to improving the educational processes of the University through continued support of its alma mater. For more information, contact Dianne O’Connor at dianne.oconnor@millersville.edu
Contributor Kaitlyn Murray, Graduate Assistant
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Inside baseball’s homegrown help It’s hard to believe that just two years ago the Marauder baseball team was 9-37, leaving fans speculating whether it would ever be able to bounce back. The tide turned in 2008 under head coach Jon Shehan ‘06, but Millersville still needed a definitive winning season to complete the turnaround. With the help of some local talent, the luster of victory returned in 2009, as the Marauders made a late-season run for the second-straight year. How much does local talent mean to a team looking to turn its program around? Well, when Coach Shehan was a player for the Marauders, it meant everything. “We probably had more [local talent] in 2001, to be honest,” Shehan says of the 30-16 squad. “We have to recruit this area. We’d be nuts if we didn’t. My goal every year is to keep the top five players in the Lancaster-Lebanon (L-L) League in this area. For the last couple years, the reputation of the program was so bad you couldn’t do it.” Shehan says it’s a unique combination that makes this area’s players so good. Now that Millersville is winning again, recruiting should become easier. “Baseball in this corner of the state is better than anywhere else in Pennsylvania,” he said. “For whatever reason, you have a lot of high-quality high school coaches, and financially, this area of the state is doing very well, which enables kids to pay for more lessons, play on travel teams and showcase in the summer.” Second baseman Andrew Dochterman, a senior recruited out of Manheim Township who was also outstanding in 2009, agrees. “There’s a lot of good talent here,” Dochterman said. “In the [LancasterLebanon] league especially we’ve always
had real good coaches, and I think it’s easier for us to make the transition from high school to college because we’ve had some good experiences.” Dochterman chose Millersville because he was familiar with the program and believed he’d have the opportunity to play straight out of high school. As a young coach, Shehan is careful about how he handles the bond between his staff and his players so as not to undermine the hierarchy of authority. “In our situation, I think it’s more important for us to draw a line in the sand and say ‘Hey, here’s a player. Here’s a coach.’” Shehan said. “We need to have respect for each other, but the friendship thing has to be after we’re done serving our roles as player and coach.” As it stands, the coach uses competition as a tool to enhance the team’s natural bond. “Competing at practice and at intersquads and competing in the weight room, especially in the off-season and in the fall, it gets guys to step up a little bit more and through that competition, I think they develop some camaraderie there,” Shehan said. Whatever his approach, it has worked. “When I first came here, we were kind of in the initial rebuilding phase of our program, and it was some tough times,” Dochterman said. “We had a couple of real tough years. I think that builds a bond.” First baseman Derek Kline, a Cedar Crest grad who was named PSAC East Rookie of the Year in 2008, said playing against high caliber players in the high school L-L League, and then getting to know them as teammates definitely creates camaraderie. “It’s a pretty special connection,” he said. “We’re just a tight-knit group, even
Lancaster County natives Jon Shehan and Andrew Dochterman talk strategy at third base.
the players that aren’t from around this area. At the same time, when we come in and know each other, that helps build a relationship on and off the field.” Dochterman says players from outside the area “fit in well,” due in part to the closeness of the guys who’ve known of each other for years. “There’s always somebody who knows somebody else,” Dochterman said. “We’ve really got a lot of intelligent guys on our team who really know baseball.”
MILLERSVILLE AT H L E T I C S For a complete listing of athletic schedules and game results, visit
www.millersvilleathletics.com
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2008-09 Award Winners 4 Men’s Soccer Steve Widdowson– Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Coach of the Year, National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Atlantic Region Coach of the Year Ryan Kiley–NSCAA/adidas College Men Scholar All-East Region Second Team, NSCAA/adidas All-Atlantic Region Second Team, All-PSAC East Second Team, NCAA Atlantic Regional All-Tournament Team Thomas Bargmann–NSCAA/adidas College Men Scholar All-East Region Honorable Mention Matt Procopio–NSCAA/adidas All-Atlantic Region Second Team, Daktronics All-Atlantic Region First Team, All-PSAC East Second Team, NCAA Atlantic Regional All-Tournament Team Sean McLaughlin–PSAC East Athlete of the Year, NSCAA/adidas All-Atlantic Region First Team, Daktronics All-Atlantic Region First Team, All-PSAC East First Team. NCAA Atlantic Regional Most Outstanding Offensive Player, NCAA Atlantic Regional All-Tournament Team John Claffey–All-PSAC East First Team Kyle Loughlin–All-PSAC East Second Team, NCAA Atlantic Regional All-Tournament Team Matt Langione–NCAA Atlantic Regional Most Outstanding Defense Player, NCAA Atlantic Regional All-Tournament Team
Women’s Soccer Jaime Lancaster–Daktronics All-Atlantic Region Honorable Mention Samantha Korczykowski–All-PSAC East Second Team Olivia Taylor–All-PSAC East Second Team
Women’s XC Priscilla Jennings–All-PSAC, Three-time PSAC Runner of the Week, NCAA Division II Championship qualifier, USTFCCCA All-Academic
Football Adam Cobb–All-PSAC East First Team, Daktronics All-Super Region I Second Team, Football Gazette All-Super Region I Third Team, East Coast Bowl selection Matt Harmon–All-PSAC East Second Team Cardoza Jacks–PSAC East Offensive Player of the Week (10/13/08)
Field Hockey National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division II National Academic Award (Top 5 Performer) Tori Bentsel–womensfieldhockey.com’s All-Rookie Squad Sara Dickinson–PSAC East Rookie of the Year Kristie Testa–All-PSAC East Second Team Meredith Dolinger–All-PSAC East Second Team Kayla Weiler–All-PSAC East Second Team Casie Baer–NFHCA National Academic Squad Krista Bupp–NFHCA National Academic Squad Nicole Rayson–NFHCA National Academic Squad Liz Walker–NFHCA National Academic Squad Elizabeth Wawrzyniak–NFHCA National Academic Squad Emily Woodland–NFHCA National Academic Squad
Women’s Basketball Gabrielle Styles–PSAC East Freshman of the Week (11/25/08) Gladine St. Julien–All-PSAC East First Team, PSAC East Athlete of the Week (2/23/2009) Jenna Craig–All-PSAC East Second Team
Men’s Basketball Makal Stibbins–All-PSAC East Second Team
Men’s Indoor Track and Field Zac Kohler–All-PSAC High Jump
Men’s XC Adam Malloy–All-PSAC, USTFCCCA Cross Country All-Academic Jim Boyer–USTFCCCA Cross Country All-Academic Zach Kelchner–USTFCCCA All-Academic James McBride–USTFCCCA All-Academic
Men’s Golf Scott Vandegrift–Central Counties Chapter PGA
Ryan Kiley
of America Golf Professional of the Year Darryn DeShong–NCAA Atlantic Regional Qualifier
Women’s Indoor Track and Field Priscilla Jennings–PSAC Runner-Up in mile and 800-meter run, All-American in mile, PSAC Indoor Track Athlete of the Week (2/24/09) Michele Frayne–All-PSAC Pentathlon Distance Medley Relay–All-PSAC NCAA Division II Championships Qualifier
Adam Cobb
Sara Dickinson
Wrestling Ray Bennett–NCAA East Regional Champion, NCAA Division I Championships Qualifier Shane Smith–NCAA East Regional Champion, NCAA Division I Championships Qualifier, 6th at PSAC Championships Jeremy Brooks–NCAA East Regional Champion, NCAA Division I Championships Qualifier, 3rd at PSAC Championships
Baseball Cody Wile–PSAC East Player of the Week (3/10/09) Ryan McCormick–PSAC East Player of the Week (3/23/09), All-PSAC East Second Team Derek Kline–All-PSAC East First Team, Daktronics All-Atlantic Region Second Team, NWBCA All-Atlantic Region Second Team
Softball Janelle Mrakovich–All-PSAC East Second Team, NFCA All-Atlantic Region
Women’s Swimming CSCAA Academic All-American Team
Women’s Lacrosse Liz Weekley–Two-time PSAC East Athlete of the Week, All-PSAC East Second Team Lindsay Keeley–All-PSAC East Second Team
Men’s Tennis Shari Bucklin-Webber–ITA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year
Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Adam Malloy–All-PSAC 3,000-meter steeplechase
Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Michele Frayne–PSAC Field Athlete of the Week (4/14/09), PSAC Heptathlon Runner-Up, NCAA Championships qualifier Priscilla Jennings–Two-time PSAC Track Athlete of the Week, PSAC Outdoor Championships Track Athlete of the Meet, All-American in 5,000 and U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Atlantic Region Track Athlete of the Year Brittany Yanora–All-PSAC 100-meter dash Brittney Zuver–All-PSAC 3,000-meter steeplechase
Derek Kline
Liz Weekley
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Advantage: Habitat for Humanity The only thing that matches Jenny Habecker’s competitiveness on the tennis court is her compassion off it. In a 7-2 loss to East Stroudsburg in March, Habecker was one of only two Marauders to take a match from the PSAC playoff-bound Warriors. Her three-set battle with Sarah Deisher was epic. After losing the first set, Habecker broke her opponent in the second and won the match 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. “That was a big personal victory for me,” Habecker said. “That was a person I went to high school with, who always played ahead of me. I had some extra motivation for that one.” There’s more to the Shillington native than just tennis, though. In her freshman year, she decided to act on her longstanding desire to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. “I’ve always enjoyed doing the whole community service thing,” she said, “and I had heard about Habitat, but I didn’t know much about it and didn’t have any experience with it. So when I came to school, that’s when I got involved with it right away.” As a senior, Habecker now has been involved with the organization for four years. She’s the president of the Millersville University’s sub-chapter (or club), which means she serves as the liaison between the University and the Lancaster chapter of Habitat for Humanity. She also organizes work days between the two groups, relays information to student volunteers and coordinates efforts to get students to and from builds. “I just kind of oversee everything we do as a club,” she said. While other students have used spring break to unwind, Habecker
Storybook ending
Tennis team member Jenny Habecker volunteers her time to build houses for others.
has used the time to go on builds. She has gone on several trips to help build houses in places like North Carolina and Virginia. She and her fellow volunteers always fantasize about building their own homes one day. “That is what we say all the time coming home—especially from a spring break trip, because there you’re with the same crew for five days and you’re allowed to use more tools,” Habecker said. “It really does get people excited, because now they know how to build a wall, or put in insulation, or do drywall or paint.” One of the most appealing aspects of the program for Habecker is that it is a hands-on organization. “I was really excited about not just raising money for something,” she said. “I mean, you do that, but you also get to meet the families you’re helping and you get to drive by the house a year later and say, ‘That’s somebody’s house that I helped to build for them.’”
It was a storybook ending for the outstanding running career of Millersville senior Priscilla Jennings ‘09. As her program hosted the PSAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, she avenged a pair of runnerup finishes at the indoor championships by winning the 800-meter run and the 1,500-meter run. She was named PSAC Championships Track Athlete of the Meet for the second year in a row. Her victory in the 1,500 came by two-hundreths of a second over Shippensburg’s Neely Spence, who edged her at the indoor meet. Along with topping Spence, Jennings shattered the meet record— which had stood for 25 years—by nearly six seconds.
Priscilla Jennings with distance coach Andy Young.
Football reunion On Saturday September 19, 2009, celebrate 120 seasons of football at Millersville. Meet the current team and catch up with fellow alumni football players. For more information, visit www.villealumni.com
Contributor Justin Quinn, Graduate Assistant
SUMMER 2009
S P ORT S
Still winning after all these years Completing her 31st year as the most accomplished women’s lacrosse coach in NCAA Division II history, Barbara Waltman ‘73 describes her career at Millersville University in surprisingly modest terms – remarkable considering her achievements: more than 200 victories (the most in Division II history), 14 PSAC Tournament appearances and the University’s only national title for women’s athletics, which was captured in 1982. “I think a lot of it is just the quality of student athletes we get at Millersville,” the soft-spoken coach said. “They’re very dedicated, hard-working individuals, and they’ve always worked as a team. That creates a lot more success.” A two-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Coach of the Year and a three-time Brine/ Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Association Division II Coach of the Year, Waltman holds a 210197-3 career record following the 2009 season. Waltman was an outstanding student athlete, as well. She played phenomenal lacrosse, standing out as a four-year starter and letter-winner at attack wing under former coach Marjorie Trout. Waltman captained the team in her senior year, while also lettering in basketball, and was chosen as Millersville’s outstanding senior athlete in 1973. In 1982, as coach, Waltman led the Millersville lacrosse team to the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Division III National
Coach Barb Waltman is at the center of the Marauders lacrosse team’s success.
Championship, which turned out to be the final year the AIAW sponsored the title. The NCAA assumed sanctioning authority for all Division III championships in 1985. Waltman would go on to lead the Marauders to their first appearance in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division II championship match in 1992. Two years later, she led the team to its first ECAC Division II title. Waltman says her years as a studentathlete helped her become the coach she is today. “You always try to relate to how it is today with the changes in the sport,” she said. “Many things are the same, so you look at the motivational factors, the team dynamics. Being a player at one time, you’ve gone through what they’re going through at some phase in your athletic career.”
As one who knows the tension and sacrifice that go with doing well, Waltman appreciates today’s student-athlete and the pressures they face. “Nowadays, they’re under even more pressure than when I competed,” she said. “There are a lot more expectations. There are more competitions, the season is longer and you travel further.” Her compassion as a coach undoubtedly encourages her players to perform well, but her team concept keeps the team thriving. “I don’t put my emphasis on individuals, I put it on team play,” Waltman said, “and I think that has been very successful for us over the years.”
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Class Notes In order to ensure that your news will appear in a given issue, please submit it according to the schedule below:
Winter 2009-10 issue: October 15, 2009 Spring 2010 issue: January 10, 2010 Please send news to: Alumni Services Office P.O. Box 1002 Millersville, PA 17551-0302 Phone: 800-681-1855 Fax: 717-871-5050 Email: mualumni@millersville.edu Online community: www.villealumni.com
1950s Reunion of 1950’s decade If you wore a poodle skirt, rocked around the clock, had a letter jacket, and pinned your girlfriend when you were going steady, this event is for you. The “tenth” alumni 1950’s decade event will be held on Saturday, September 19, at the home of Bill Romans ’57 beginning at 1 p.m., rain or shine. Cost is $12 per person. To learn more or to make your reservation, call Bill at 610436-0842 or email billyroma@ verizon.net Donna (Galen) North ‘57, Ephrata, and her husband
Joseph, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Valentine’s Day 2009.
1960s Anthony DiPietro ‘62, Barrington, N.J., retired after 35 years as a teacher, coach and school administrator. He currently serves as the regional supervisor of Administrative Residents/ Mentors for NJL2L Program. Clair Drescher ‘64, Palmyra, was inducted into the Palmyra High School Sports Hall of Fame for his achievements in track and cross country. He served as a PIAA cross country official for 28 years and a track official for 36 years. Carole Campbell ‘66, Glenside, was selected as Ms. Pennsylvania of Senior America. She is a psychologist in private practice. Mara Anderson ‘68, Lancaster, received a Fulbright Scholarship from the U.S. State Department and is using the grant to teach American Studies abroad in Latvia, the country from which her parents fled during World War II. She is a former German teacher with the Ephrata School District. Janice L. Pearce ‘69, Norristown, was elected president of the Norristown Area School Board. She worked as a teacher and librarian, including 27 years at Norristown Area High School.
1970s Chester “Chet” F. Marshall ‘70, Bensalem, retired from Prudential Financial as the director of shareholder services after 33 years with the company. Donald W. Miller ‘70, Harrisburg, published his ninth and tenth books, The Gray Day & Other Poems and Mystic Chords of Memory: The Lost Journal of
William Wallace Lincoln. He writes under the pseudonym Donald Motier. David Stricker ‘70, Spring Grove, retired from the Spring Grove Area School District, where he served as superintendent for the past 13 years. Douglas Meshaw ‘71, Lemoyne, was named the Pennsylvania Builders Association’s new executive vice president. Previously, he was director of association member services. Jim Ristine ‘71, East Berlin, recently had two new books, Clams, Oysters & Scallops and Philadelphia’s 1926 SesquiCentennial International Exhibition, published. Margaret (George) Thomson ‘71, Marietta, Ga., retired after 30 years of work as a financial analyst and certified financial planner. Joan Detz ‘73, Doylestown, presented a program on speechwriting at the National Association of Government Communicators conference. She is the author of four books on public speaking. This year marks the 25th anniversary of her book How to Write & Give a Speech, praised as “a how-to classic” by the Washington Post. Brenda (Miller) Klinger ‘73, Annville, retired from the Palmyra Area School District in June after 35 years of teaching. Frederick O. Cope ‘76, Westerville, Ohio, joined Neoprobe Corporation as its vice president of pharmaceutical research and clinical development. Robert Slabinski ‘78, Millersville, retired as general manager and CEO of Student Services, Inc. and Student Lodging at Millersville University
in June. He served the University community for almost 40 years. As a student, his first job on campus was to give billiard lessons in what is now the Sherts boardroom of Biemesderfer Center. Cynthia Davidson ‘79, Kirkwood, joined United Disabilities Services as vice president of sales and marketing. E. Joy McFerren ‘79, Lancaster, was named secretary to the board of Lancaster County Business Group on Health. She is employed by Willow Valley Associates. Ann Osterfeld ‘79, Delaware, Ohio, was appointed new product development manager at Signature Worldwide, a leading provider of training and business solutions.
1980s Timothy Lease ‘80, Lancaster, serves as general manager of MainStay Suites in Mountville. Michael Callahan ‘81, Mountville, was named president of Benchmark Construction. In 1985, he started as the company’s seventh employee. Edward J. Albert, Jr. ‘83, Lititz, joined Tulpehocken School District as the superintendent. Richard Kearns ‘84, Harrisburg, is an award-winning writer, poet and musician. He published a collection of poetry, The Body of My Isla, dealing with his Puerto Rican heritage and identity. Thomas A. Faust Jr. ‘85, Reading, became senior development engineer with East Penn Manufacturing Company.
Joanne M. Milasus ‘85, Stevens, joined The BCF Group, Inc. as a customer service agent in the benefits department. Ed Foley ‘86, Charlotte, N.C., was appointed director of flying for Pinnacle Airlines, Inc., of Memphis, Tenn. He oversees the pilot group and management staff. Brenda S. Harcourt ‘87, Kenya, Africa, serves as a leadership trainer for the Presbyterian Church of East Africa in Kenya. She works in the eastern and Mt. Kenya regions to help improve the leadership skills of both clergy and lay leaders. David Breniser ‘88, Beach Haven, N.J., was appointed as a new trustee of the Lancaster Farmland Trust. He serves as senior vice president and commercial sales manager of PNC Bank. Carol (Bruckart) Brian ‘88, Lancaster, was named vice president of finance of the Lancaster Area Express Network chapter of the American Business Women’s Association. Paul J. Elisii ‘88, Chester Springs, was named vice president of information technology for Harleysville Insurance. Thomas Kern ‘88, Honey Brook, joined the sales team as a specialist in residential sales at Weichart Realtors–Premier Properties. Carolyn O’Day ‘88, Thompsontown, was nominated by Bucknell University’s Small Business Development Center as one of Pa.’s Best 50 Women in Business for 2009. She is a managing partner for Center State Communications, a web design firm.
1990s Michelle (Sarnocinski) Brown ‘91, Collegeville, serves as school and community relations coordinator for the Perkiomen Valley School District. She is responsible
for media relations, publications and community relations. Eric Jones ‘91, Tulsa, Okla., was promoted to development and operational hydrologist at the National Weather Service’s Arkansas River Forecast Center in Tulsa. Matthew Dixon ‘92, DeSoto, Ill., joined Southern Illinios University, Carbondale, as an assistant professor in automotive technology. John “Shaggy” Shantz ‘92, Royersford, and David “Boone” Shafer ‘93, Royersford, (along with two other friends), started the Royersford Brewing Company. Their first brew, Serious Ale, is on tap in 10 area bars. Christine Vigoletti-Forrest ‘92, York, is pursuing a nursing degree at Harrisburg Area Community College. She is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. Heather Conlon-Keller ‘93, Lancaster, serves as clerk for Lancaster County Judge Margaret C. Miller. Christopher Martin ‘93, East Petersburg, was promoted to golf course general manager and superintendent of the Crossgates Golf Club in Millersville. Bonnie (Donahue) Northeimer ‘93, Ephrata, was promoted to box office manager at the Ephrata Performing Arts Center. Ronald Shealer ‘93, State College, was named one of 12 finalists for the state’s Teacher of the Year Award for 2009. He is a technology education teacher in the State College Area School District. David M. Stokes ‘93, Holtwood, owns D. M. Stokes Home Renovation Company, a full service home renovator. Lolita M. Reels ‘94, North Wales, participated in the Presidential
SUMMER 2009
Inauguration on January 20, 2009, as part of the largest ever contingent of National Guard members to serve in Washington, D.C. She is a technical sargeant in the Air National Guard. Judy Frantz ‘95, Ephrata, serves as an investment representative for Edward Jones. She was recently named Woman of the Year 2009 by the Lancaster Area Express Network, American Business Women’s Association. Deborah J. Geltz ‘95, Lititz, joined Keller Williams Realty. She has been a licensed real estate agent since 1999. Matthew N. Olphin ‘95, Dallastown, was promoted to assistant vice president, risk control specialist, of Murray Risk Management and Insurance. Carlos Carmona ‘96, ‘07M, Lancaster, serves as a learning facilitator at Union Canal and Ebenezer elementary schools in the Cornwall Lebanon School District. John Cooke ‘96, Springfield, serves as assistant dean of campus engagement at Drexel University. Nicole Hudson ‘97, Philadelphia, joined Long and Foster’s Blue Bell real estate office as a sales associate. Michael Wayde ‘97, Columbia, was promoted from senior account manager to account supervisor at Godfrey, a businessto-business marketing communications agency. Matt Weidman ‘97, West Chester, was named the director of Widener University’s Exton campus. He also serves as faculty at their Lifelong Learning Institute. Gregory Boll ‘98, Lancaster, is a partner in Cornerstone Investments, an independent financial services firm for individuals and business, along with Michael Gerner ‘00.
C L A S S N OT E S
Douglas Byers ‘98, Palmyra, was appointed director of the Pa. Bankers Association’s advanced school of banking. He also serves as vice president of treasury management and not-for-profit manager for Graystone Bank. Deborah C. (Horan) Deisley ‘98, Millersville, serves as the accounting department manager for Benchmark Construction Co. Scott Fritz ‘98, Millersville, was promoted to pro shop manager at Crossgates Golf Club, where he has been the assistant professional for the past 10 years. Adam Brown ‘99, Canonsburg, was promoted to corporate safety director of CentiMark Corporation. Erika Jean (Jamison) Harper ‘99, Williamsburg, Va., graduated with a doctorate in counselor education and supervision from Regent University in Virginia Beach in May 2009. Roger Josephian ‘99, Drumore, was certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accredited professional. He is preconstruction manager for Horst Construction.
2000s Melissa Deets ‘00, Manheim, was promoted to Northeast field manager with the federal government division of CDWG, a technology company based in Chicago. Jeffrey Ratcliffe ‘01, Hatboro, has advanced to Ph.D. candidacy by the graduate school at Temple University after passing his written and oral preliminary exami-
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nations in cultural anthropology. Alexander Tsipras ‘01, Bridgeville, joined Bentworth Middle School as a seventh grade math teacher. Brett Cooper ‘02, Denver, was promoted to principal of Boyertown Area School District, where he previously served as the assistant principal. Paul Andrews ‘03, Berwick, was named Salesperson of the Year 2008 for The Times Leader newspaper in Wilkes Barre. Steven Ascher ‘03, Missoula, Mont., joined University of Montana as the women’s tennis coach. Michelle (Sheaffer) Brubaker ‘03, Chambersburg, teaches first grade at Chambersburg Area School District. Brian H. Ripple ‘04, Camp Hill, was awarded the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) designation by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. He is the safety director of Protection Services, Inc., a traffic control and highway safety company. Seth Adam Mullen ‘05, Mountain Top, earned his chiropractic
degree at Pamler College of Chiropratic in Iowa. Caroline Rowley ‘05, Colonia, N.J., recently became an independent Mary Kay beauty consultant in addition to working as a safety services associate at Schering-Plough. Kristina (Buchman) Svencer ‘05, Macungie, received her master’s degree in educational strategies and development from Wilkes University in January 2009. Bryan Svencer ‘05, Macungie, received his master’s degree in classroom technology from Wilkes University in the summer of 2008. Rachel Garman ‘06, Carlisle, is employed by Atomic Designs, a company that creates sets for corporate and stage productions. Danah Wietry ‘06, Tacoma, Wash., earned her master’s degree in counseling and human development from Radford University in December. She was recently promoted to entertainment director with the Tacoma Rainiers, a AAA baseball team affliate of the Seattle Mariners.
Amelia Fillipo ‘07 and Brian Nolan ‘05 were married on 1/24/09. Left to right: Chris Cozzone ‘06, Scott Savage ‘06, Sara Keene ’05, Jordan Pesses ‘08, Kirsten Kahler ‘07, Anastasia Devlin-Anderson ‘07, Ian Anderson ‘07, Charlene Welsch ‘08, Annie Howard ‘06, Daniel Holler ‘04 and Michael O’Neil ‘04. Amanda (Bridgen) Bacci ‘07, Elizabethtown, was promoted to consumer loan servicing officer of Fulton Financial Corp. Lydia Troncale ‘07, Russia, serves as development director for Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy. The organization operates 12 social service programs across Moscow, including soup kitchens and initiatives to help refugee communities. Trevor W. Levits ‘08, Pen Argyle, graduated from the Army ROTC leadership development and assessment course know as “Operation Warrior Forge” at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Wash. Stephanie Yeager ‘08, Aston, studied at the Tainan University of Arts in Taiwan in spring 2009.
Jonathan Farringer ‘00 and Linda Manarchuck, 7/5/08. Heather Karlson ‘00 and Stephen Biddle, 9/15/08. Dana Greer ‘01 and Jeromie Hanna, 5/17/08. Susan Loughney ‘01 and Eric Styer, 7/22/08. Alexander Tsipras ‘01 and Kalliope Roumbakis, 7/26/08. Michelle Sheaffer ‘03 and Jeremy Brubaker, 6/28/08. Leah Zurner ‘03 and Jon Ross, 8/30/08. Brian Hassel ‘04 and Kristen Olszewski ‘04, 10/11/08. Laura Krisa ‘04 and Matthew Perekupka ‘05, 1/2/09. Sarah Bereznay ‘05 and Brian Betteridge, 10/11/08.
Marriages
Marilyn Gazzillo ‘79 and Lesley Alan Hansen were married on 4/18/09 in Princeton Junction, N.J. Marilyn is a media specialist/art cataloguer for the visual resources collection, Department of Art & Archaeology, Princeton University. Lesley is professor of English at John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the City College of New York.
Kim Beitzel ‘71 and Tom DePaul, 4/4/08. Ed Gibbs ‘75 and Priscilla Circelli, 9/20/08. Kevin Carey ‘80 and Walter Infante, 6/20/08. Ed Foley ‘86 and Rachel McMahon, 10/25/08. Lorinda Myers ‘96 and Jason Willner, 11/15/08.
Mikki Andrea (Fuller) ‘08 and Demetrius M. Frison ‘08, a specialist in the U.S. Army, were married in Philadelphia on 3/28/09.
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Zachary Cornman ‘05 and Stephanie Telesmanic ‘06, 6/28/08. Lauren Dervrich ‘05, ‘07M and Tyler Matthews ‘05, 10/11/08. Joel Dworsky ‘05 and Jamie Hippensteel ‘07, 1/3/09. Daniel Dailey ‘06 and Anne Marie Stellmach ‘06, 7/19/08. Alicia Palk ‘06 and Stephen Beegle, 8/23/08. Megan C. Stief ‘06 and Kurt A. Graupensperger, 6/28/08. Kelly Ulrich ‘06 and Tony Groff, 5/10/08. Kelsey Beach ‘07 and Tyler McCreight, 10/18/08. Jennifer Dorman ‘07 and Eric Miller, 8/15/08. Jennifer Gross ‘07 and Jason Durkaj, 7/12/08. Jason Hollister ‘07 and Jody Wilbur, 5/31/08. Amy Wiggins ‘08 and Dean Livengood, 3/14/09.
Births Tracey (Showalter) Bean ‘89 and husband Tony, a son, Gavin Christopher, on 3/27/02. Virginia (Swarr) Youmans ‘89 and husband Sergio, a son, Nicolas Ricardo, on 1/16/09. Jeannine DePaul-Nelson ‘93 and husband Kevin, a son, Kevin Frank, on 1/14/09.
Sue (Barley) Forry ‘94 and husband Dan, a daughter, Lila Maggie, on 10/28/08. E. Larry Grine ‘94 and wife Therese, twin daughters, Raegan Elizabeth and Madeline Claire, on 11/14/08. Cindi (Golden) Horshaw ‘94 and husband Winston, a daughter, Leilah Margaret, on 8/9/08. Chad Small ‘95 and wife Kim, twin daughters, Kaitlyn and Madison, on 12/16/07. Christina (Wilson) Faller ‘96 and husband Chad, a son, Evan Robert, on 8/29/08. Daniel Hollinger ‘96 and wife Kelly (McGee) ‘97, a daughter, Kaitlyn Marian, on 1/29/09. Rebecca L. (Pedersen) McAlonis ‘96 and husband Matthew, a daughter, Nadia Leona, on 11/22/08. Maria (Muglie) Owens ‘97 and husband Mark, a daughter, Kadie Emma, on 6/22/08. Adam Brown ‘99 and wife Michele (Antonucci) ‘00, a daughter, Delaney Ryan, on 12/30/08. Jennifer (Gulick) Miller ‘99 and husband Mark ‘99, a daughter, Cara Jean, on 12/8/08. David Noble ‘99 and wife Lisa, a son, Samuel David, on 1/11/09. Jennifer (Deisselberg) Rodkin ‘99 and husband Hank, a son, Dylan James, on 12/12/08.
SUMMER 2009
Heather (Karlson) Biddle ‘00 and husband Steve, a son, Colton Thomas, on 11/24/08. Courtney L. (Hamme) Henry ‘00 and husband Matthew, twin daughters, Zoey Elizabeth and Carrington Jane, on 12/2/08. Amanda (Frederick) Krout ‘00 and husband Philip, a son, Dylan Reese, on 8/23/08. William Tomlinson ‘00 and wife Melissa (Geesaman) ‘01, a son, Holden, on 9/12/08. Jaime (Marcus) Zucker ‘00 and husband Jeff, a daughter, Sydnie Simone, on 1/29/09. Michael Hess ‘01 and wife Katie (Wiltrout) ‘02, ‘06M, a daughter, Mary Elizabeth, on 12/19/08. Julie (Keefer) Wells ‘01 and husband Kris, a son, Hunter Kristopher, on 1/22/09. Jeff Burton ‘02 and wife Amanda, a daughter, Madysen Rose, on 9/18/08. Sarah (Herz) Curtis ‘02 and husband Guy, a son, Brent Guy, on 12/6/08. Jandy L.A. Rivera ‘02, ‘06M and husband Sam, a son, Legend Cortez, on 4/8/08. Jeremy Rogers ‘02 and wife Ashley, a son, Brayden, on 2/10/09. Kelly (Massimini) Santoro ‘02 and husband Joe ‘02, a daughter, Lola Belle, on 9/13/08. Jeremy Troop ‘02 and wife Lindsay (Peters) ‘03, a daughter, Caleigh Raye, on 2/25/09. Kati (Pardoe) Zsilavecz ‘02 and husband Chad ‘02, a daughter, Olivia Jean, on 12/5/08. Rachel (Zufelt) Jurman ‘03 and husband Daniel, a son, Henry Edison, on 1/30/09. Erin (Hillegas) Smith ‘03 and husband Tommy ‘03, a daughter, Emma Lee, on 8/5/08. Brian Ripple ‘04 and wife Koren, a son, Ian Charles, on 9/3/08. Brandy (Kline) Leininger ‘07 and husband Neal, a daughter, Rae Lynn, on 11/16/08.
C L A S S N OT E S
Deaths Emma E. (Eshleman) Kilheffer ‘28, Washington Boro, died on 2/5/09, at the age of 99. She was a retired teacher with 27 years service with the Columbia and Donegal school districts. H. Guy Kreider ‘29, Cornwall, died on 3/20/09, at the age of 98. He retired from PennDOT as their first executive secretary of hazardous substances transportation board, which regulates the shipment of hazardous materials over Pa. highways. During World War II, he served as a medic in Okinawa. Anna E. (McMillen) Kraft ‘31, Elizabethtown, died on 3/24/09, at the age of 98. She taught for a year in the Welsh Mountains. Ethel (Brukbaker) Spece ‘32, Abington, died on 2/19/09, at the age of 96. She was a teacher with the New Holland Eastern and Honey Brook elementary schools. William J. Otstot ‘35, Lemoyne, died on 1/20/09, at the age of 96. He was a former shop teacher at Carlisle High School and a general contractor. Mary (Weinhold) Eby ‘36, Lancaster, died on 12/18/08, at the age of 93. She was an elementary school teacher for 35 years. J. Stanley Landis ‘37, Carlisle, died on 9/29/08, at the age of 93. He taught industrial arts in the Philadelphia area for 37 years, and had a second career remodeling homes and apartments. Maribelle (Brubaker) Kauffman ‘38, Wyomissing, died on 2/28/09, at the age of 92. She was a teacher and avid golfer. Anna (Tananis) Shade ‘39, Rockville, Md., died on 5/1/08, at the age of 89. She retired as a reading supervisor for the
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C L A S S N OT E S
SUMMER 2009
Montgomery County School District in Maryland. Esther (Wenger) Groff ‘41, Lancaster, died on 2/9/09, at the age of 88. She taught secondary school for 29 years, the last 19 at Manheim Township. Virginia (Wiley) Mann ‘42, Manheim, died on 2/6/09, at the age of 88. She served as the financial secretary for the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Manheim. Esther (Berger) Crooks ‘43, New Hope, died on 12/25/08, at the age of 86. She launched the kindergarten for Wrightsville Elementary School in 1959 and remained there until her retirement. Freda (Ressler) Hess ‘44, Lancaster, died on 3/22/09, at the age of 86. She was a teacher for 31 years and retired from the School District of Lancaster. Mary (Heisey) Shellenberger ‘45, Columbia, died on 2/9/09, at the age of 85. She served as high school librarian in New Brighton, New Cumberland, Lancaster Township and Penn Manor school districts. Leon F. Richwine ‘49, Ephrata, died on 3/17/09, at the age of 83. He retired in 1989 as pastor of Grace UCC in Lancaster. Virginia (Jacobsen) Heverling ‘52, Lebanon, died on 2/9/09, at the age of 77. She served the Lebanon School District as an elementary teacher for 35 years. Joseph N. Sparling ‘55, Bethlehem, died on 3/7/09, at the age of 80. He taught wood and metal shop, architectural drawing and driver’s education in schools in Md., N.J. and Pa. during his career. James J. Eshleman ‘57, Morehead City, N.C., died on 3/8/09, at the age of 82. He was a member of the U.S. Army Air Corps and the Air Force Active Reserve.
Joseph H. Rinker ‘57, Earlesville, Md., died on 2/1/09, at the age of 75. He taught industrial arts at Bohemia Manor High School. He and his wife owned and operated the Bohemia Anchorage Marina. John A. Greer ‘58, New Holland, died on 2/11/09, at the age of 73. He served as guidance counselor facilitator for the School District of Lancaster for 23 years. Luke Scipioni ‘59, Lebanon, died on 12/22/08, at the age of 70. He was employed by Cornwall Lebanon School District for 37 years as a biology and anatomy teacher. He also coached Cedar Crest basketball for 23 years. John J. Gray ‘60, Flourtown, died on 3/8/09, at the age of 70. He retired as a senior executive vice president at financial services firm Janney Montgomery Scott. Ira G. Light ‘60, ‘76M, Annville, died on 2/3/09, at the age of 70. He retired after 37 years in education, and served as director of education for the Cornwall Lebanon School District. Wayne R. Clouser ‘62, Elizabethville, died on 1/26/09, at the age of 74. He was a retired teacher for the Upper Dauphin Area School District. Frederick E. Fry ‘63, Lititz, died on 2/11/09, at the age of 71. He retired from New Holland North American, Inc., in 1995. James R. Stahlman ‘63, Plymouth, Wis., died on 3/2/09, at the age of 71. He was the head of the land development division of Grootematt Corporation in Milwaukee until his retirement in 1989. Patricia (Ripley) Lundquist ‘65, Plainfield, N.J., died on 1/27/09, at the age of 65. She taught kindergarten and second grade at Liberty Corner School for 31 years.
Elma M. “Dolly” (Rothenberger) Walton ‘65, Reading, died on 12/29/08, at the age of 95. She served as a school nurse practitioner for the Reading School District. She was a volunteer with the American Red Cross for more than 50 years. Nadia (Kochergin) Garman ‘68, ‘80M, Lebanon, died on 1/31/09, at the age of 62. She operated a private psychotherapy practice in Lebanon from 1983 until 2008. Jeffrey C. Snyder Biehl ‘70, Reading, died on 2/21/09, at the age of 60. He worked in the hospitality industry for 20 years. Geramon W. Vinup ‘72, Colonial Beach, Va., died on 1/1/09, at the age of 63. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 30 years, until his retirement as a lieutenant colonel in 1995. Audrey S. Bomberger ‘74, Reno, Nev., died on 1/28/09, at the age of 66. She served for 23 years in the U.S. Army Nurse Corp Reserves, and retired as a colonel. Nancy J. Cassel ‘75, Lansdale, died on 1/4/09, at the age of 55. She worked as a claims representative in the Social Security office in Norristown for nearly 30 years. Thomas J. Gehman ‘75, Lancaster, died on 2/19/09, at the age of 55. He was employed as a quality assurance technician with Armstrong World Industries for 26 years. Christine L. (Hess) Boyer ‘77, Hanover, died on 2/25/09, at the age of 53. She taught kindergarten at St. Joseph Catholic School for the past 23 years. Ruth E. French ‘78, Tower City, died on 3/5/09, at the age of 75. She retired after 20 years as a registered nurse with the Williams Valley School District.
Tina M. (Hess) Kinsley ‘82, York, died on 2/15/09, at the age of 47. She served as director of Chapel Church Christian Day Care in Red Lion and teacher for Little People Day Care in York. Dorothy S. Finn ‘83, Clarksville, Va., died on 12/14/08, at the age of 48. She served as pastor of Clarksville Presbyterian Church since 2003. Tamara C. Lautsch ‘83, Lancaster, died on 2/16/09, at the age of 47. She was employed by Lancaster General Hospital in the aquatic rehabilitation unit. James “Jimmy” M. Cassidy ‘86, Norwood, died on 2/20/09, at the age of 45. He was employed through the Ironworkers Local Union 401 of Philadelphia, and coached high school football in Interboro and Norristown. David J. Dash ‘89, Lancaster, died on 1/30/98, at the age of 34. He was an attorney at law, and practiced in Pa. and New Jersey. Arthur “Artie” C. Gaspari ‘95, Temple, died on 3/26/09, at the age of 35. He was a salesman with Verizon Wireless. Stephanie L. Roman ‘96, Perkasie, died on 3/26/09, at the age of 35. She was a science teacher for the past six years at Mount St. Joseph’s Academy. Joanne G. (Covelens) Waters ‘97, East Petersburg, died on 3/3/09, at the age of 56. She was a family and consumer science and social studies teacher for the Lower Merion School District. Anthony R. Kichline ‘06, Lancaster, died on 3/2/09, at the age of 34. He was an employee of R.R. Donnelley and Sons.
c h anging L i v es
Kate Parker M E N TOR & S C HO L A R S H I P FOUNDER
Kate Parker ‘76, ‘78M didn’t have scholarship help, but she wants to make sure others do. When Kate Parker came to Millersville from her Philadelphia home, she loved the beauty of the rural campus. Now, the 1976 political science graduate and 1978 master’s graduate in education, counseling and guidance, hopes to give other students from urban areas the same opportunities. In the 1990s, she was involved in the early days of the mentoring program and founding member of the AfricanAmerican Latino Scholarship Program. Parker also served on the Millersville University Foundation Board, the alumni association board, the Soar to Greatness Campaign Cabinet and is a long-time donor. She is especially interested in finding ways to assist African-American males to complete their educations at Millersville. “So often African-American males are forced to drop out of school due to funding shortfalls or failing grades because they are trying to earn wages through a part-time job to afford the continuing education,” says Kate. “My family has endowed a scholarship fund for AfricanAmerican males, the Parker Jones Womack Scholarship.” Parker adds that they hope to have it fully endowed within the next two years and offer the first scholarship. Once this scholarship is fully endowed, her
next focus will be establishing the Asian American Scholarship, in honor of her mother, who is Japanese-American. After that, she hopes to establish a graduate level scholarship. Parker feels a debt of gratitude for her own education at Millersville. She is now vice president, employee relations director for U.S. operations for Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), the largest employee-oriented international science and technology company, with over 44,000 employees at over 450 locations worldwide. In her 18 years with the company, she has seen huge strides in the applications of science including areas such as healthcare, energy, transportation and homeland security. “I am also the employee relations subject matter expert to the corporate ethics committee and internal audit,” adding that she is responsible for the formulation of employee relations metrics presented to the ethics committee of the board of directors. Now living in Virginia, Parker firmly believes that Millersville provided the foundation for her career. She wants to see other students benefit as she did. It is part of her nature to show her appreciation for the gifts she has received in life. And the people she wants to thank the most include the professors, staff and
students of Millersville—and her mother. “That made it a dynamic institution and the small class size fostered intellectual jousting, which was fun and educational,” says Kate. “I didn’t have scholarship help. I worked all through college and had a graduate assistantship,” says Kate. As a student working as a resident assistant and later as an graduate assistant, she was encouraged to consider a career in counseling and guidance. It seems that friends and students relied on her sensible wisdom, whether it was advice on courses to take or settling a disagreement between roommates. In her career, she often works in matters that involve problem solving and dispute settlement. At Millersville, Parker was also mentor to students who entered through the Higher Education Opportunity Program, adding that most of the students came to Millersville with various academic and socioeconomic challenges. “My mentoring experience was so rewarding, especially as I watched a student realize that diversity was not negative, but when handled properly was about inclusion of all folks from all backgrounds,” she says Kate. “My life revolves around three things: my family, my career and Millersville. That keeps me very busy,” says Parker.
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Homecoming 2009
There will be fun for thousands of alumni, students, families and community members of all ages on Saturday, October 24. Here are some of the highlights: • Millersville Community Parade. With more than 2,000 participants, this year’s theme is “Myths, Fables and Fairy Tales.” • Homecoming Football Game. Watch Millersville battle Kutztown. Kickoff is at 1:30 p.m.
Reunions (Saturday unless noted):
Fall Fling is back!
• Classes of 1949, 1959, 1964, 1969 • Join the MAK Men, Sigma Pi and Sigma Epsilon Beta at Lancaster Host • Roller Hockey Reunion • Student Senate Reunion • Women’s Basketball Reunion in Brooks Field • Wrestling Reunion • Greek Reunion • Alpha Phi Alpha, Sigma Gamma Rho Reunion—Friday, October 23
Bring the whole family over to Brooks Field and Boyer Parking Lot to enjoy craft vendors, food, games, live animals and more! • Alumni hospitality at Fall Fling. Don’t forget to stop by!
• Distinguished Lecture in Nursing. Wednesday, October 21 • Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet. Friday, October 23 • Alumni & Friends Golf Outing. Friday, October 23
For full event details and to register, visit www.villealumni.com